[oxfeed65261]

I actually used the fire extinguisher I used to carry in my ‘79 Buick LeSabre to put out a fire but I ended up regretting it.

Smoke started pouring out from under the hood, so I pulled over and popped the hood and saw a blazing fire. I ran in a panic to the trunk, got the extinguisher, and put out the fire.

It turned out that the air conditioner compressor had seized up and stopped turning, causing the belt to overheat and catch fire. The fix was simple: remove the remains of the belt and everything was fine. Roll down the windows when it’s hot.

If I had let the car burn out and be totaled I would have saved a lot of trouble, including endless transmission leaks and a busted U-joint which led to my coasting to the side of the road with the driveshaft (connected only at the front) dragging and bouncing and throwing up showers of sparks down the freeway.

[NegativeLatency]

Had a similar thought, if the car is empty it's a different consideration to when it's loaded up with my camping gear or other possessions.

[oxfeed65261]

Yeah. I started carrying the fire extinguisher because my parents’ full-size Chevy van burned up with all of their camping supplies, clothes, guns, etc. from a three-month roadtrip. Also melted the front of their trailer before the highway patrol arrived. Brave/insane CHP officer pulled the propane tanks off of the trailer before they blew.

I had nothing of value in the Buick.

Ironic, as Ms. Morissette would say.

My parents bought the Buick from my grandmother to drive home to Virginia after the van fire, and they gave it to me for my senior year of college. My fire was a couple of years after graduation.