Motoring Discussion > Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie Replies: 16
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New Sat 10 May 25 18:29 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - smokie
www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8k8dnnp55o

Whatever next, PAT testing for EVs? :-)
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New Sat 10 May 25 20:12 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - CGNorwich
Just buy an EV.
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New Sat 10 May 25 20:43 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Zero
And die in the fire.
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New Sat 10 May 25 22:25 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - BigJohn
Some classic cars are notorious at having poor door seals - eg Morris Minor Traveller estate rear doors. I always carry a smoke/CO tester when camping, I wonder if I should keep in the car!

All cars carry materials that can burn - at the end of the day you have to carry something that can propel a vehicle be it petrol, diesel, lpg, batteries etc. In addition recent air conditioning refrigerant(R-1234yf) is flammable. Even brake fluid can ignite on a very hot exhaust.
Last edited by: BigJohn on Sat 10 May 25 at 22:27
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New Sat 10 May 25 22:28 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - bathtub tom
"But, if there is a hole in the floor of the car, fumes from the engine can leak into the area for the driver and passengers."

Can we assume he was in a rusty old heap (I've had a few)?
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New Sun 11 May 25 10:54 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - CGNorwich
It is of course undesirable to sit with your engine idling both for pollution and wear to your car and can be illegal.
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New Sun 11 May 25 11:55 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Zero

>> can be illegal.

Sorted then,
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New Sun 11 May 25 19:54 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - BiggerBadderDave
"But, if there is a hole in the floor of the car, fumes from the engine can leak into the area for the driver and passengers."

Isn't that why that young Argentine footballer was killed in a light aircraft not so long ago?
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New Mon 12 May 25 09:34 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - John F
>> "But, if there is a hole in the floor of the car, fumes from the
>> engine can leak into the area for the driver and passengers."
>>
>> Can we assume he was in a rusty old heap (I've had a few)?

No. The photo in the Sun's report shows a white VW reg EY 63 VJD. The latest MoT shows 'Minor leak of exhaust gases'. The Coroner noted this and concluded there was no intention of suicide (a somewhat morbid reason for keeping an old classic car...just in case of the need for a painless exit;-( so it was clearly a fluke tragedy, the CO being sucked into the heating system.
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New Mon 12 May 25 10:13 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Bromptonaut
Difficult to understand where the leak was from as some articles relate to the exhaust and others the heater.

Also would a modern(ish) car's catalytic convertor be expected to remove CO or at least reduce it to a safe level?
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New Mon 12 May 25 10:30 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Zero
The heater fan just acted as a conduit to draw the CO into the car interior. Past the cat(s) there is miniscule CO in the exhaust, so one has to assume the leak was prior to that, Manifold, Downpipe to Cat I guess. Having said that the heater does not draw air from the engine compartment.
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New Mon 12 May 25 11:36 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - zippy
>> Difficult to understand where the leak was from as some articles relate to the exhaust
>> and others the heater.
>>
>> Also would a modern(ish) car's catalytic convertor be expected to remove CO or at least
>> reduce it to a safe level?
>>

I guess if the leak in the exhaust was before the converter and in line with a hole in the floor, then the worst could happen.

Unfortunate accident.
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New Mon 12 May 25 14:36 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Terry
Understandably distressing for the family but most CO deaths are caused by faulty appliances in the home.

Legislation or regulatory requirement for vehicle fitment is sledgehammer to crack a walnut - there are far bigger issues. CO sensors made mandatory in all domestic property with fixed combustion appliances would be make more sense (already mandatory in rented).

In the UK there are ~40 deaths pa due to CO poisoning and (for instance) 400 from drowning, 300 from fires - I could go on. Avoiding one or two deaths from inadvertent CO poisoning in cars really is a waste of time and effort which could be far better directed.
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New Mon 12 May 25 15:16 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Falkirk Bairn
>> CO sensors made mandatory in all domestic property with fixed combustion appliances would be make more sense (already mandatory in rented).

Fire & Heat (linked) +CO monitors mandatory in Scotland for a few years.

Landlords and Social + Councils have high 90% coverage - some tenants refused to let them be fitted

Around 50% of owner occupied homes fitted the required alarms.
Normal 3/4 bed home around £250 for 10 year battery alarms - may be less now as prices have dropped.
Mains powered requires some re-wiring and markedly more expensive

Many owner occupiers said it was too expensive even for battery
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New Mon 12 May 25 15:46 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - CGNorwich
About £30
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New Mon 12 May 25 16:18 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Bromptonaut
Battery powered version in the caravan was less than £20.

It was beeping as though for a battery issue but turned out to be 'life expired'; they last ten years after which they're waste.
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New Mon 12 May 25 22:15 
 Sisters campaign for carbon monoxide alarm in cars - Zero
In the caravan they have the useful property of alarming for a sulphating cooking leisure battery. Something they were not designed for but very usefully perform
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