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on-ramp's Avatar
 
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Explosion in my trunk - scared the hell out of me!

Was driving home tonight, doing about 75....i was talking on the phone and something that sounded like a large firecracker or a pipe bomb exploded in my trunk, as so it seemed.
scared the hell out of me....i though i also saw a spark.

do you think i just hit something on the road, or something hit my car? Car runs well...no problems.

any ideas? I checked inside the trunk when I got home, everything looked normal.

Old 02-01-2006, 05:16 PM
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You didn't freak out and pull over??


Guess that call was just too important.
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Old 02-01-2006, 05:43 PM
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Look for gouges/scratches under your car. That sucks!
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Old 02-01-2006, 05:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by FrayAdjacent911
You didn't freak out and pull over??


Guess that call was just too important.
actually, i told the guy on the phone i had to go, something exploded under my car...

then i kinda pulled over and slowed down in the breakdown lane, didn't smell any smoke or see any fire so i kept going, and made it home ok.
Old 02-01-2006, 05:52 PM
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Sounds like the battery shorted out or the positive wire is shorting against the frame or something...I'd pull the carpet and check it out.

Tim
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Old 02-01-2006, 05:54 PM
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Did the probe hurt?
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Old 02-01-2006, 05:55 PM
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Quote:
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Did the probe hurt?
LOL
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Old 02-01-2006, 06:04 PM
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Check your battery and your alternator charge at different rpms. If a battery is being overcharged it can vent hydrogen gas which is highly explosive. The small amount generated by a battery could easily product the flash and bang you described.

If the battery and alternator are ok, and it does not look like you hit anyghing, maybe try an exorcism.
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Old 02-01-2006, 06:56 PM
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what is the likelyhood that the gas tank could explode and kill me?
Old 02-01-2006, 07:14 PM
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I had a similar explosion in my trunk, but then again, my brother DID pull my finger......


Check it out thoroughly, hope all is well with your ride.
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Old 02-01-2006, 07:30 PM
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I had a torsion bar break on my 914 many moons ago whilst sitting at a traffic light. Scared the crap out of me!
Very loud "Bang,Snap". The front end will drop on the broken side if that's the case.
Old 02-01-2006, 07:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by on-ramp
what is the likelyhood that the gas tank could explode and kill me?
Pretty much zero, unless you're a Hollywood bad guy.
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Old 02-02-2006, 03:53 AM
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I'm really NOT an alarmist, but DON'T just gloss over this !!

ESPECIALLY if you saw a flash !! My first thought was to check the battery (or in my case batteries). While the odds of your fuel tank exploding should be very low, you don't want to be the small other percentage !!

Check the fluid levels in your batt as well. If it's old consider replacement.
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Old 02-02-2006, 04:18 AM
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Richard,

The battery is relatively new, bought it last year.
Old 02-02-2006, 04:33 AM
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Did your battery light come on? I had a fan belt break and it sounded like a gun went off. I couldnt tell if it was the front of the car or the back, at the time.
Old 02-02-2006, 04:54 AM
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what the other guys said about your battery being overcharged. Get a volt meter and check at the battery with the engine running at 2K rpms. If you are reading over 14.25 volts you are overcharging your battery!
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Old 02-02-2006, 05:05 AM
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lose the phone
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Old 02-02-2006, 05:21 AM
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I'd check the battery. If that explodes, which they can, it can be an ugly mess to clean out of the trunk.
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Old 02-02-2006, 05:23 AM
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100 cc of hydrogen gas would not fill a coffee mug and if it combusted would be unlikely to cause damage unless in a tightly confined space smaller than the boot, but it would produce a flash and a VERY loud bang. It is the flash you saw that points me in that direction. The small amount of hydrogen produced by a battery will not blow your car up, but as Masraum says, if it blows up the battery, you will have a he** of a mess.

Checking underneath the car is also good advice. Maybe you drove over a small and incompetently prepared IED. (don't tell the NSA I said that).
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Old 02-02-2006, 05:31 AM
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Had a battery explode once, granted in a Sirocco, put a heck of a bulge in the hood.

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Old 02-02-2006, 05:34 AM
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