Excessive car mods main cause of fires: S’wak Bomba

Excessive car mods main cause of fires: S’wak Bomba

Most vehicle fires have been caused by overloaded electrical wiring systems resulting from modifications, the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) has said, according to a Bernama report.

“Based on our statistics and findings, when a car catches fire, it’s usually due to electrical issues. Rarely is the engine the cause. If it is, it’s usually due to an oil leak. Owners modify their vehicles, adding accessories such as sound systems and radios that require higher power.

“If they try to make a claim with the manufacturer, it will not be entertained because modifications have been made. It’s best to maintain the vehicle as it was when it left the factory, for the owners’ safety,” state Bomba director Jamri Masran said.

A parked Jaecoo J7 recently caught fire in Sarawak – post-investigation, Jaecoo Malaysia revealed in a statement that a third-party workshop’s improper dashcam installation was the cause. Do you keep a fire extinguisher in your car?

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • bersyukur? on Apr 08, 2025 at 12:43 pm

    install dashcam also susah.. china car company hard to take up responsibility? lousy accountability

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 25 Thumb down 21
    • You really think Toyota, Honda or any car brand would honour warranty on issues arising from third party accessories?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
  • Is the wiring dashcam really cause the fire? Dont think so….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 14
  • statement from heaven itself come also no use one, people will still complain why my empty spec japanese cars can mod now i buy chinese car so expensive but cannot mod, chinese cars cannot use one

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 11
  • Gomorrah on Apr 08, 2025 at 1:00 pm

    One wonders about how transparent these EV manufacturers are being about their electrical systems. Or if the accessories shops have adapted their practice for EVs. ICE cars don’t seem to have this issue (unless you pasang amplifier besar besar and run a thin power wire from battery and don’t think about relays or something equally boneheaded). Both ICE and EVs use a 12V system for accessories. That Jaecoo fire came from a dashcam installation which is a fairly well understood device at this point in time.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 18
    • what are you getting at? the Jaecoo J7 is an ICE car.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • are you is smart on Apr 08, 2025 at 3:08 pm

      “ICE cars don’t seem to have this issue” ???

      bruh the J7 is an ICE car…stupid comment looking for opportunity to poke at EVs at every chance.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 0
      • Gomorrah on Apr 09, 2025 at 12:54 am

        My bad. Assumed it was an EV. In saying that, why aren’t Toyota ICE cars blowing up then?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
        • the car didn’t blow up – the dashcam did.

          install a dodgy dashcam (the type without supercapacitor like lolpanda said) and the risk is equal whichever car you put it in.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • lolpanda on Apr 08, 2025 at 3:05 pm

    dashcams draw minimal power (generally, max 1A) and even installed with a hardwire kit, comes with an inline fuse so it seems rather suspect.

    it’s more likely that dashcam is the type that uses a battery rather than a supercapacitor. All it takes is for a cheap dodgy battery pack to expand under the hot sun resulting in a fire.

    always use dashcams that are powered by supercapacitors rather than batteries for this reason.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 1
  • Kariayam on Apr 08, 2025 at 4:13 pm

    Weak excuse la, its not like most cars come standard with dashcam anyways. If ah beng shop can cause fire with installing something harmless like dashcam then surely all the other cars should be catching fire too

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 5
  • Jaecoo by Chery, first got rear-axle problem, then side mirror causing window glass crack, now this? Not only are they unreliable but they will taichi until kingdom come.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 9
  • opmanmy on Apr 09, 2025 at 8:16 am

    When things go south, it’s always the blame game. Instead of taking the criticism as improvement exercise.

    Probably next thing, they will blame, non stock brand tyre fitted…causing the axle to come off. Or, even non-approved tint brand…power window KO. Or probably, non-listed named driver (owner)…55555.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
 

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