Thiruvananthapuram: The motor vehicles department in Kerala has issued a warning against beetles to steer clear of car fires.
An online survey organized by the department as part of its measures to prevent fires in vehicles decided to include a question on beetle menace after finding that there is a possibility of vehicles catching fire due to the attack of the borers.
Ambrosia beetles, which are small beetles belonging to the camphor shoot category, have turned out to be the villain here. They have a liking towards fuel containing ethanol. If they get the smell of this, they will get into the vehicle. They make holes in the rubber hoses through which fuel passes. This will lead to future accidents. Such instances occur mainly during the summer season.
The motor vehicle department decided to pay attention after many such vehicles reached the workshops in the hilly areas. It is seeking information on vehicles that have had fire or fuel leaks in the past.
In the online survey, it is requested to record the vehicle's age, the place where it is regularly parked, the air purifier used in the vehicle, electrical faults if noticed, additional equipment installed in the vehicle, and the maintenance information carried out by the vehicle before the fire.
In one of the questions in the survey, one needs to provide details after checking whether there has been fuel leakage due to a beetle attack. You can participate in the survey by visiting the website of the department.
