Siem Reap province, Cambodia News: According to preliminary reports, a black Range Rover caught fire while driving down National Road 6 at 8am on March 24, 2019, near Siem Reap. No reason was given for the unexpected fire outbreak.



There is no more information on this particular case for the moment, but a Mercedes in Phnom Penh also caught fire two days ago for no apparent reason.
Link: newsworthy/taiwanese-man-escapes-merced ... 27691.html

From https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-te ... atch-fire/

Leaking fuel
Leaking fuel starts more fires than any other cause. On older cars, a carburettor tends to leak when the float level is set incorrectly or the fuel union gaskets are worn. On modern cars, the fuel injectors and fuel pressure regulators are sealed off with O-rings.

These deteriorate over time, which could result in a fuel leak. A fire can start when the leaked fuel is set alight by a spark that is the result of poor insulation on a spark plug, or some of the leaked fuel may end up on a very hot exhaust manifold.

Electrical fires
Electrical shorts can cause the wiring to overheat and get hot enough to start a fire. On an old car, a wire is often chafed where it passes through a hole in a panel.

An aftermarket component can also cause a problem. If the wiring connecting the component to the car’s wiring loom is fitted incorrectly, it can draw a very high current.

And if the earth cable between the engine and the car’s frame is poorly connected or broken, the electricity will find its own way back to the battery. This could result in the throttle cable getting hot enough to start a fire.

Exhaust system
At full throttle, the interior of an exhaust system can reach more than 900°C. For this reason, the heat shields should never be discarded or damaged, and any leaks should be repaired.

Catalytic converters get so hot that they are blamed for starting many of the grass fires in the California desert. Owners’ manuals often warn that the vehicle should never be parked on dry grass or other combustible material.

A retarded engine ignition setting will cause parts of the exhaust system to glow red-hot. A heat shield cannot cope with such high temperatures.

Oil fires
If oil gets near a hot surface it may cause a fire. Cars are at a greater risk of catching fire after a service. The oil filler cap may not have been replaced correctly; this will allow crankcase pressure to blow oil over the engine. The oil filter may have been replaced without renewing the gasket, and this can result in oil squirting out while the engine is running.

Engine overheating
This has been given as the reason for the Kugas catching fire. It is not impossible, but it is very rare for an overheated engine to start a fire.


In both recent cases I would put my money on poor maintenance and shoddy workmanship.

Whatever the cause of the fire, this car is kaput.

All of the above for Cambodia.

A lot of the older cars on Cambodia roads were total wrecks in the west. The cars were involved in a crash, deemed unrepairable or unable to be repaired to safe driving standards by the insurance company, and the written off as a total loss. These wrecks are bought up, fixed up to start, made shiny, and shipped to Cambodia for a profit.

I doubt the little details like those by the previous poster were addressed in the rebuild.