Only car owners will understand the attachment they possess with their own vehicles, sometimes even treating it like their own home. But while our cars may exist as a sign of our pride and joy, it’s important to remember that we can’t treat it in a similar fashion to our homes – that is, by keeping everything and anything we own inside of it.
One Malaysian automotive worker who simply goes by A’an recently shared an insightful TikTok video to the page @altimatsaujana detailing a series of 6 items drivers should refrain from keeping in their cars due to the hot weather that’s currently plaguing Malaysia.
“The 1st thing is food and drinks. If we keep them in plastic containers, it is bad for our health. These food items will be exposed to the sun’s heat, due to the insulated temperature in one’s car,” said A’an at the beginning of this video.
Carrying on to the 2nd item, A’an stated that power banks are also risky to leave in one’s car. This is because power banks generally have lithium-ion batteries, which can pose dangerous risks when left in in the presence of heat.
WORLD OF BUZZ also discovered in a write-up by UNSW Sydney that overheating lithium-ion batteries can cause the cell to undergo damage and even short circuit.
“Okay, this is directed to smokers. Don’t leave lighters in your car. Lighters can overheat and catch fire quickly. This is something a lot of people forget, especially if we leave it in a hot environment like our cars,” said A’an on the third item.
For the fourth item, A’an added that this point is not designated to the literal petrol one fills their car tanks with, but instead spare petrol kept in bottles or Jerry tanks for emergency situations.
“A lot of people believe that petrol only catches fire if there are sparks. But you guys have to understand that flammable items in the presence of heat can catch fire as well,” added A’an in the clip.
Commenting on aerosol-based items as his 5th point, A’an stated that this can include anything from perfume bottles, car fresheners, or even bug spray. According to A’an, these sprays contain chemical compositions that can expand with heat, and eventually cause an explosion if it gets hot enough.
Closing his thoughts on the 6th item, A’an took a serious route by listing children as his final point.
“We hear a lot of instances about kids getting left in the car, whether it is domestically or internationally. So for their safety, please ensure that your children leave the car as well before you exit entirely,” said A’an in his closing thoughts.
Sharing their own experiences on the items listed by A’an, many Malaysians also commented on the things they have left in their cars, which adversely affected them prior to this.
“This is very true. I once left a bottle of water in my car for days. One day when I decided to drink it, I had the worst purging session ever, even the smell of it changed,” shared one user.
On the other hand, a few users also spoke on more deadly situations, with one recalling a time where he left aerosol spray in his car before he left to go shopping, with it eventually catching fire and exploding when he came back to see it.
“There was one time my car exploded after I left perfume inside of it. That time, it was very hot and I forgot to lower my windows. The sound was so loud and my car windows almost shattered,” wrote one user.
Nevertheless, A’an also confirmed with another user that it is good for drivers to keep fire extinguishers in their cars, as it can withstand high levels of heat.
All in all, a plethora of users thanked A’an for his insightful thoughts, adding that they will be sure to not leave these items in their cars anymore.
Watch the full TikTok video below:
Watch on TikTok
Do you have any of these items in your car? It’s time to do a bit of spring cleaning!
