How rare is it for a car to catch on fire?

It’s uncommon. In the United States, fire departments respond to roughly 170,000 highway vehicle fires each year—about 0.06% of the more than 280 million registered vehicles, or roughly 1 in 1,600 vehicles in a given year. Most incidents involve older gasoline vehicles and are triggered by mechanical or electrical failures or crashes, not spontaneous ignition. Below is a closer look at how often car fires happen, why they occur, and how to reduce risk.

How often do car fires happen?

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) data show U.S. fire departments handle on the order of 170,000 highway vehicle fires annually, based on five-year averages through the early 2020s. Put another way, across about 3.2–3.3 trillion vehicle miles traveled each year, there is roughly one reported highway vehicle fire for every 19–20 million miles driven. Passenger cars and light trucks make up the majority of these incidents, with large trucks, buses, and other highway vehicles comprising the rest.

Rates vary by country but fall in similar ranges when adjusted for fleet size. For example, the U.K. records tens of thousands of vehicle fires annually against a fleet of ~40 million vehicles, a comparable per-vehicle rate. In all regions, the risk increases with vehicle age, deferred maintenance, and crash involvement.

Why vehicles catch fire

Investigations consistently find that most vehicle fires stem from failures or damage, not spontaneous combustion. The items below summarize the leading patterns that appear in fire incident data and forensic reports.

• Mechanical failures: Fuel, oil, or power-steering fluid leaks contacting hot engine or exhaust components; overheating engines or catalytic converters igniting nearby materials.
• Electrical faults: Short circuits, chafed wiring, faulty alternators, and accessory wiring issues; in hybrids/EVs, damaged high-voltage components can contribute, though these remain a small share of overall incidents.
• Collisions and rollovers: Impact damage can rupture lines, expose hot surfaces, or short electrical systems, igniting materials post-crash.
• Poor maintenance or modifications: Deferred repairs, incorrect fuses, substandard aftermarket electrical add-ons, and ignored fluid leaks raise risk.
• Intentional fires (arson) or external ignition: Deliberate ignition or fires spreading from outside sources (brush under a hot exhaust, nearby structure fires).
• Charging or battery issues (rare): For EVs and plug-in hybrids, thermal runaway is uncommon and typically associated with severe physical damage, manufacturing defects, or improper handling/storage of damaged packs.

While the mix varies by fleet and region, mechanical and electrical malfunctions are consistently the top non-crash causes, with collisions a significant contributor. Intentional fires represent a smaller but notable portion of cases.

How vehicle type affects fire risk

Comparisons across fuel types are complicated by definitions, small sample sizes, and differences in fleet age. Still, several credible datasets suggest important patterns.

• Gasoline and diesel vehicles: Make up the majority of highway vehicle fires because they dominate the fleet and have many heat sources and flammable fluids. Older ICE vehicles are disproportionately represented.
• Hybrid vehicles: Possess both ICE and high-voltage systems; incident rates vary by dataset but often track with ICE vehicles when adjusted for age and usage.
• Electric vehicles (EVs): Available incident registries from countries with high EV adoption (e.g., Sweden and Norway) have reported lower per-vehicle fire rates for EVs than for ICE vehicles when adjusted for fleet size. However, EV fires can behave differently—battery-involved fires may burn longer and require specialized firefighting tactics.

The key takeaway: per-vehicle fire likelihood generally appears lower for EVs in the data we have, but any vehicle can catch fire under the wrong conditions, and severity/response needs differ by technology.

Who is most at risk?

Risk is not evenly distributed. It rises with vehicle age, high mileage, deferred maintenance, and exposure to crash forces. The average vehicle on U.S. roads is now more than 12 years old, which means attention to maintenance and recalls is increasingly important to keep risk down.

What to do if your vehicle smokes or catches fire

If you smell burning, see smoke, or suspect a fire, rapid, calm action can save lives. The points below reflect common guidance from fire services.

1. Signal, pull over safely, and stop; shift to Park and set the parking brake.
2. Turn off the engine (or power down an EV) to cut fuel and electrical flow.
3. Evacuate everyone immediately; move at least 100 feet (30 meters) upwind.
4. Call emergency services; tell dispatch your vehicle type (gas, hybrid, EV) and location.
5. Do not open the hood or trunk—introducing oxygen can intensify flames.
6. Only use a portable extinguisher on a very small, incipient fire if you are trained, the fire is not near the fuel/battery, and you have a clear exit. If in doubt, stay back.
7. After a crash, especially with hybrids/EVs, treat the vehicle as energized and keep clear until responders arrive.

Your priority is a safe exit and quick notification to firefighters; vehicle losses are replaceable, people are not.

How to reduce your odds of a car fire

Most non-crash vehicle fires are preventable. The steps below address the common failure points seen in investigations.

• Fix fluid leaks promptly and keep engine bays clean of oil residue and debris.
• Address warning lights, burning smells, and smoke immediately—don’t “drive through it.”
• Replace worn wiring and fuses with correct-spec parts; avoid overloading accessory circuits.
• Stay current on recalls and technical service bulletins—many address fire-related risks.
• Maintain cooling systems and ensure heat shields and catalytic converter clearances are intact.
• Park clear of dry grass or brush; hot underbodies can ignite vegetation.
• For EVs and plug-in hybrids: use certified chargers; don’t charge with damaged cables; if the battery is damaged (e.g., post-crash), park outside and contact your dealer.

Good maintenance, attention to smells/smoke, and proper use of electrical accessories substantially cut fire risk across all vehicle types.

Bottom line

A car catching fire is rare on a per-vehicle basis—on the order of a few hundred incidents per million vehicles each year in the U.S.—and most stem from mechanical or electrical problems or crashes rather than spontaneous causes. Keeping up with maintenance and recalls, addressing warning signs early, and following basic safety steps if trouble arises are the most effective ways to minimize risk.

Summary

Car fires are uncommon—roughly 0.06% of vehicles experience a reported highway fire in a given year in the U.S., or about one fire per 19–20 million miles driven. Most involve older gasoline vehicles and are caused by mechanical/electrical failures or crashes. Available international data suggest EVs have lower per-vehicle fire rates than ICE cars, though EV fires can require different response tactics. Preventive maintenance, swift action at the first sign of trouble, and safe evacuation protocols are the best defenses.

What are the chances of a car catching on fire?

That means that around 0.04% of cars catch fire in any given year — a small percentage, to be sure, but for those cars that do catch on fire, the damage can be significant. Learn about if car insurance covers fire damage. So what are some common causes of car fires?

Which cars are most likely to catch fire?

hybrid cars
It’s estimated that about one-third of fires in electric vehicles occur while the car is parked and unplugged. But hybrid cars seem to be the most likely to catch fire, with gasoline vehicles coming in second. Cars that run only on electricity are a distant third.

How many vehicles catch fire every year?

In 2021, around 174,000 highway vehicle fires were reported in the USA, a slight increase from 173,000 in the previous year. Although we await finalized statistics for 2024, the trend demonstrates how vehicle fire incidents have significantly declined over recent decades due to advancements in automotive safety.

What’s the most common cause of a car fire?

What are the common causes of vehicle fires?

• Fuel system leaks: Rotten fuel lines; faulty fuel line connectors; leaky fuel injection system.
• Electrical system failures : Faulty car battery; broken lightbulbs; short circuits; the breakdown of fuses, fusible links, and circuit breakers.