PETALING JAYA: A text message circulating on smartphone messenger apps claiming that fully-filled petrol tanks are likely to explode during the current heat wave has been debunked.
Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) director-general Prof Wong Shaw Voon said that such rumours were untrue, and that current research and technology had devised safety measures to ensure tanks can carry petrol safely.
"The automotive industry… would usually design parts which can withstand various environments. For example, even in Malaysian weather, it does not get as hot at the weather in the Middle East or even summer in the United States," he said.
"There has been a lot of requirements in place, and cars are made safer and safer. Even when pumping petrol into vehicles in normal use, it is very unlikely to create an explosion," he said.
"There is also an auto shut-off mechanism in the pump design which will stop filling after reaching the tank limit," he said.
Prof Wong, however, said some motorists continued to fill their vehicle fuel tanks even after pumps automatically shut off to maximise fuel tank capacity, a practice he discouraged.
"You should not go beyond the third stop or else there may be a spillover of petrol," he said.
The fake text message in question falsely advised the public to fill their fuel tanks to half their capacity, saying that the heat will cause full fuel tanks to explode.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Sani Harul also rubbished the message claiming there had been five instances of vehicles with full tanks exploding due to the heat.
Proton is one car maker which has been a target of such misinformation.
It said it was concerned by photographs being circulated on social media of an Exora bursting into flames at the Cheneh exit along the East-Coast Highway Phase 2 (LPT2) on Feb 17.
“In the postings, some of the netizens claimed that the Exora was faulty due to an increase in temperature as a result of over-filling of fuel, causing the car to catch fire, while others speculated that the incident was due to a leaking fuel tank,” the company said in a statement on Feb 18.
Proton said it is investigating the matter closely and has got in touch with the owner of the vehicle to ensure the well-being of the owner and his family and to get the full details about the Exora.
“We are taking the necessary measures and urge the public not to speculate on the situation,” it said, according to a Bernama report.
The national carmaker said it does not compromise on quality that could cause its engines or cars to malfunction.
The Exora is the first national Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV), with more than 140,000 units sold worldwide.
