This is sort of a redirection of the "compact food' thread,which has wandered....

What should be routine items carried in one's vehicle? A lot of the items mentioned as required in some countries make a lot of sense, like high vis vests, specs (if you must have them to drive), warning triangles, etc.

My short, tentative list:

water and at least a few healthy snacks
duct tape
hand tools -crescent wrench, screwdrivers at least
jumper cables
some sort of rain gear or poncho
small stove, pot, coffee or tea
shovel and ax

I probably should have something to deal with flats - tire sealant, hand pump, etc.

What else?

I think you have outlined a pretty good list, overall. I don't keep a huge kit in my car, and what you list is more or less what I carry. Below are a couple of minor additions and suggestions. Most of these won't take up much additional storage space.

Depending on what you wear in your normal lifestyle, you might want to add a good pair of shoes or boots that you can walk in. Before I retired, I worked in an office, and dressed casually but appropriately for that environment. Especially in the winter I make it a point to keep a pair of winter boots stashed in the car. If during the winter with deep snow on the ground, if for some reason the roads became impassible (say damage from a big earthquake), I could still get the boots from my car and walk home. Likewise, simple rain gear or a poncho might be sufficient in some climates, but in winter in Alaska I always try to keep at least a good warm parka (with hat and gloves in the pockets) stashed in the car.

Water is problematic to keep in ones car in a cold climate. If one parks the car outside, one is likely to have bottles of ice by the end of the day. Definitely some water in the summer however.

A good headlamp and/or flashlight. Also one of those flashing caution light gizmos.

I would add a first aid kit.

Besides duct tape, I would put in a few hose clamps of various sizes, a roll of black electrical tape, some zip ties, and some cordage or light rope.

For tools I would add some big channel lock type pliers and/or visegrips, and needle nose pliers.

A pair of leather work gloves. I carry the kind with high vis orange and reflective fabric backs.

Varies with environment. Think mobility, what keeps you going. Survivability, what keeps you alive. Survival priorities do not change, but you can carry more. The car needs its own "survival" kit though, to keep it on the road and functional.

For those of us who live in snowy climates - winter tires (usually on extra set of rims). Got my winters on today, check tire pressure (including spare), plus the oil change and replaced the cracked windshield. Top up the radiator and washer fluids and double check the fuses, lights, et al. Snowed yesterday, snowed today, snowing tomorrow. And next week it might all melt away.

Got the shovel, wiper brush, air pressure pump, spare kit (fuses, clamps, tire repair), FAK, battery jump starter, jumper cables, tool kit, reflectors, tow strap, hard hat, hi-vis vest and boots and cold weather clothes. Plus all the stuff in my day pack.

And when all else fails, there is always the cell phone and its charger.

Tough gloves, I like the heavy vinyl coated ones for grabbing hold of sharp metal or glass in crash situations and for protection from liquids and also snow chains.

On back roads, a tow strap, come along, bow saw for down trees.
Hacksaw blade that fits the bow saw for cutting forest service gate chains, when some goof locks the gate while you are inside. Ask me how I know this

Winter add tire chains.

I have a can of tire sealant and a 12V compressor with pressure gauge. I also have a can of gasoline (cars run of fuel in a traffic on occassion and there a fine for running out of fuel on the autobahn), one refill of washing fluid, a pump spray with concentrated washing fluid (helps to deice the windshield and clean mirrors in a pinch) and some motor oil. As I drive a station wagon, I also have a net and some straps for securing cargo.
I also pack anti fog sponges to clear the windows from the inside and a couple of ice scrapers.
High vis vests, warning triangle and first aid kit are required anyway. I have a vest for every passenger plus a few spares in my trunk.
I also have an unhooking mat. It is handy when some tasks need to be performed in kneeling or prone position. It´s comfortable when changing shoes or boots too.

I carry lots of stuff in my truck, but the first thing to look at with a well equipped automobile is the condition of the car/truck — tires, battery, belts, oil and filter changed on time/mileage. The steering, brakes and coolant system should be checked regularly and changed as necessary. IOW, keep the vehicle itself in really good condition.

I have an older truck that I like. I’d prefer to get something newer and bigger, but the truck I want won’t fit in the garage, so I keep this one. Over 200K miles and if I needed to drive cross country tomorrow, all I’d need to do is fill the fuel tank. It’s nearing a half tank and that’s when it gets topped off, otherwise it is ready to go.

One item that hasn’t been mentioned (or I missed it) is alongside the red warning triangle I keep LED Roadside Flares. They are reusable and unlike normal flares, these are not a fire danger.

Of course the traditional road flares are a sure fire (!) fire starter - multo-use item. Keep both around...

My car repair kit:

• multitool with screwdriver bits
• small socket set
• large Channellock pliers
• galvanized wire
• tire plug kit
• radiator leak sealer
• assortment of auto fuses
• self-fusing silicone tape
• hose clamps
• gloves
• jumper cables
• auto jumpstarter with area light, compressor, USB charger, and inverter
• properly-inflated spare tire, lug wrench, and jack
• "cheater bar" made from a length of pipe for lug wrench
• tow strap

Other useful side-of-the-road items like flashlights, headlamps, first aid kits are in the main emergency kit, always kept in the car.

The spare tire (with jack etc.), self-fusing tape, Channellocks, and jumpstarter have all seen side-of-the-road use to keep me moving. The jumpstarter is used far more often for others, as it's much faster and easier to use than jumper cables.

Buried in the bag with tools, I add an envelope with $50 in small bills and a roll of quarters.

Today was our annual turn the clocks back an hour for DST, and for me that means seriously prepping for the change of seasons. Smoke and carbon monoxide detector battery changes, checking on the meds and food in our BOBs and prepping the car for winter. Thanks for the food for thought about the vehicle set-up!

Cash -- small bills

Car stuff: paper maps, safety triangle, LED flares, tire air compressor, small tools, multi-tool, Cold Steel shovel

Clothes: fleece vest, waterproof parka, fleece neck gaiter, fleece hat, down booties, gloves (multiple), down mittens, waterproof pants, Gore-tex hiking boots, Smartwool socks, waterproof poncho

Fire starters: Bic lighters, stormproof matches, fire steel, several sticks of fat wood

Knives, small axe

Lights: Flashlights, headlamps, batteries

First-Aid

Backpack: compass, titanium cup, Lifestraw water purifier, snacks, cocoa, tea bags

Misc: hiking pole (cane-style), umbrella, fleece blankets, fleece sleeping bag liner, chemical hand and feet warmers, tissues, 550 paracord


This is just a partial list. Changes a bit between summer and winter.



.

In some places with poor cell phone coverage, you may find a signal booster useful. I haven't really tested this idea, though. How much improvement is worth a few hundred dollars?

I would be curious what folks think of carrying some sort of fire suppressant/extinguisher in their vehicle?

Makes more sense than carrying a sixpack. Beer is not a very good fire suppressant.....

I tried keeping a fire extinguisher. It's a pain to find a way to secure it in the cab, because it absolutely has to be secured in case of a crash. If you keep it in the trunk -- assuming you can have means of securing it -- it's not immediately accessible in case of emergency.

Also, halon is expensive, and a good one (with sufficient suppressant) is big and heavy. (The regular fire extinguisher is corrosive -- meaning once you spray the car, say goodbye to it.)

So at the end, I figure you should make sure you have good insurance in case of a car fire.

Well, it does work to an extent. The main problem is the lag time between input and output.

You don't buy beer. You only rent it.

A foam extinguisher, the 'spray' type that looks like a giant hairspray can. (Do make sure it's the vehicle type which is freeze resistant.)

I fully realize that this will only be effective against rather small fires. But I do not intend to fight bigger fires without protective gear. The car can easily be replaced, lives are not.

I choose foam because powder extinguishers will ruin the electronics. Insurance covers fires, not corrosion on electronics.

comment on use of a dry chemical fire extinguisher... I had a need to use one on a trapped driver scenario, with others helping... I failed to warn them when I discharged the bottle...the chorus of coughing earned me a momentary dirty look from them...

I'm pessimistic regarding the effectiveness of any fire extinguisher you could have readily available in a vehicle - while safely secured. I have witnessed 5 police cars discharge the contents of theirs in a failed attempt to save a trapped and burning driver. Had no effect.
So... I'd appreciate observations from any trained fire fighters on the forum.

However, Tjin: "Insurance covers fires, not corrosion on electronics" isn't always the case... at least regarding MY policy (which I don't think is atypical). Coverage is present for incidental damage from fire-fighting efforts, too. YMMV

I once stopped to assist at a car fire - tire on the ground was aflame (probably had been run flat for quite a while). I had an extinguisher, as did other bystanders, but the fire kept reigniting after momentary knockdowns from various extinguishers.

Finally resolved when someone dumped water on the hot rim, reducing the residual heat.

Years ago, the Fed Gov't concluded that carrying fire extinguishers in fleet vehicles was not cost effective....FWIW

I do not feel like having arguments with the insurance about all the electronics that fail a few months later. Sure they will pay for the initial damage, but powder gets into everything and destroys them with a delay.

As for the effectiveness of fire extinguisher on car fires. Unless it's a small fire, just wait until the fire engine arrives,

" just wait untill the fire engine arrives," works fine a functioning urban environment, but don't hold your breath out in the boonies (where I like to spend as much time as possible)....

Once it's properly started, no extinguisher small enough to practically carry in the back is effective enough.

Car fires are not to be underestimated; airbags blowing up, gas pistons blowing apart, burning liquid fuel spills, heck there are even cases where the fire short outed the car and the car started and started moving. I can replace my car easily, so not that willing to take too much risk.

Hmm...I think I will stick with carrying a 6-pack of beer (IPA), rather than a fire extinguisher. If my car catches fire, I'll get out (with the beer), and call the fire department. Then sit back, open a beer, and enjoy the show.

You'v been watching "Strange Brew" again haven't you?

We had a vigorous fire extinguisher discussion a while ago. I reluctantly came around to the group consensus that the engine compartments of most modern vehicles are so tightly packed with stuff that you couldn't get a shot at the source of a fire anyway. So I don't bother with an extinguisher.

I have put out two car fires.

One was a hay truck where the fire just had started from the heat of the exhaust
pipe that ran up the back of the truck. Since we were in a snow storm on top of Steven's pass WA the driver, me and my buddy just shoveled snow on the fire.


The second was an engine fire on a pickup truck that had just pulled over from smoke. We saw flames thru the grill, so didn't open the hood, just sprayed the extinguisher thru the grill. Worked great.

That said, I haven't replaced that extinguisher yet. I do have a shovel, axe and bucket for wildfires.

Considering the potential,I am glad this thread hasn't resulted in a flame war...

Into the Naughty Chair with you! For gratuitous comedic shenanigans!

Every car fire I've seen in person was well past the "run away" stage and could not have been knocked down with any fire extinguisher that doesn't come with its own diesel engine. With the small size of my car and all the other stuff I carry, it hasn't been a priority for me to find a reasonable way to carry one in my car.

If I ever go back to a pickup from the four-door sedans I've been driving, I may change my mind.

You have never been in a flame war unless you have been a member of the Keven and Kell forum from 2003 to 2008. One flame war literally lasted for years. People were beating the same horse even after its body had long decomposed.

Jeanette Isabelle

the incident I referred to... I just happened to be following a Florida Highway Patrol officer as we approached an intersection with a rail road crossing, and encountered a momentarily puzzling scene... what in fact I was looking at was a Chevy Tahoe SUV wedged at 90degrees under the bed of a semi, front window smashed and pushed to the steering column ...rear wheels still spinning, and billowing blue smoke...both front doors were inoperable and the FHP officer then attempted to break the rear passenger door window, requiring more than a half dozen hits with a PR24 baton... at that point the rear tire ignited as he entered the SUV to take it out of gear...I emptied my 2 1/2# bottle just as fire rescue arrived, and they quickly got a hose reel into action as the tire was still smouldering... ... I didn't really want to take a look at the driver...

Many many years ago I used to work at a GM proving ground. We were taught there that if you have an engine fire make sure you pull the hood release (from inside the passenger compartment) as soon as possible, but do NOT try to open the hood (or release the under-hood lever) because the rush of oxygen will make the issue even worse. They told us to call pull the interior release, step away from the car, call the fire department, and wait.

I guess the fire can damage the hood release cable/connector and make the hood almost unopenable if you don't pull the interior release rather soon. If that happens all they can do is try to fight the fire from underneath - which has only limited effect.

The hood release of most cars has some plastic parts in it. They may melt and disconnect the cable. The cable itself usually can take quite a bit of heat.
The first problem with opening the hood is your position. Usually the person opening the hood is right where flames will come out during opening. That can result in severe burns. The oxygen rush may make it worse.

We've seen some hood release problems related to plastic part somehow deformed due to melting. It really seems the cable is the source of the heat somehow. The last one was on buddy's F150 when we installed the new set of tires and rancho lift kit. We had a hard time opening the hood due to deformed plastic part.