Why is it dangerous to leave your car on grass or fallen leaves?

Wet grass and fallen autumn leaves can be dangerous for a motorist by slipping, and if they are dry in the sun, there is a risk of fire. This is especially true for motorists who like to park in a green area or along the road above a pile of dry fallen leaves.

What is the danger of parking in a place with dry grass or leaves

During driving, the exhaust gas catalytic converter heats up to about 300 ° C, and this figure is typical for the correct operation of the entire system. If there are malfunctions in the operation of cylinders, candles and other electronics that are associated with the injection and combustion of gasoline, then the catalyst can heat up to 900 ° C.

Parking on dry grass or leaves on a car with a hot catalytic converter is very likely to set the leaves on fire and then the vehicle itself.

Why is the catalyst so hot

A catalytic converter is a part of a car's exhaust system that is designed to reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases. In it, nitrogen oxides are converted into pure nitrogen and oxygen, and carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are afterburned, that is, a chemical reaction occurs. That is why the catalytic converter heats up to high temperatures in a short time.

The catalyst is usually located after the exhaust pipe, but occasionally it is installed directly on it so that it warms up faster, because it starts to work effectively only at 300 ° C.

When the life of the catalyst comes to an end, its cells sinter, the walls melt, the system starts to work incorrectly, the car twitches, and smoke may appear.

Which cars are at risk

Due to the fact that the catalytic converter is located under the bottom and heats up to high temperatures, the risk of fire during careless parking over dry vegetation is much higher in cars with low ground clearance.

For SUVs and other vehicles with high ground clearance, the risk of fire on dry foliage in the city is minimal, but in the forest zone where tall grass grows, you also need to be careful.

After a long trip, try to park only in specialized parking lots, which are carefully cleared of leaves. Outside the city, let the car cool down before driving into the green zone, especially since parking in such places is generally prohibited and you can get a fine from the environmental service.