A leading mechanic has warned petrol and diesel drivers are at risk of damaging their cars by simply plugging in a phone charging adapter in a major warning.
Scotty Kilmer warned cheap adapters can mess with keyless ignition systems and stop cars from starting.
In another major warning, he stressed simple adapters can even catch fire while motorists are behind the wheel.
Adapters are commonly found in cars and can be pushed into cigarette lighters to allow road users to charge their devices on the move.
They can be purchased in almost all service stations and supermarkets for pocket money change making them a vital tool for commuters.
However, Mr Kilmer issued his warning in a vital message on his YouTube channel.
He said: “Today I’m going to show you why you don’t want to use one of these cheap adapters in your cigarette lighter to run electronic components.
“They are all going to fit in there but you don’t want to use a cheap one. These might look simple but they have complex electronics and they can even make your car not start if you’ve got one of those keyless ignition systems, it can interfere with it.
“And not only can it interfere with stuff but I’ve seen cheap ones in customers’ cars actually start on fire.
“You want a quality one that has a model number, what kind of power it takes and whatever you do don’t plug in too many things.
“Read the maximum, this is 120 watts and never go above it.”
Drivers have praised Scotty’s concerns with many revealing they had no idea purchasing the simple device could backfire.
Others reiterated that fire concerns were real after hearing similar stories from friends who had suffered as a result.
YouTube account @XaboAlex replied: “Never entered my head that these could cause problems. Looks like I will be buying better quality.”
@aaykay4060 added: “A coworker had a cheap one catch fire in his work truck. Luckily it was winter and snowy outside and he just yanked it out and tossed it out the window before the fire grew.”
@isreallopez4362 commented: “I have seen good quality ones go on fire. Yes very rare but I have definitely seen cheap ones go on fire just [plugging] them in. Just be careful.”
Experts at VibeCentre have highlighted that USB car charging tools can put a “strain” on a vehicle’s electrical system if used excessively.
The experts also warned overcharging could present a fire hazard with cheaper chargers not having “adequate safety features”.
They explained: “Suppose your charger is not explicitly designed to stop charging once the battery is full.
“In that case, it could continue to draw power from the battery even after its maximum capacity. This can lead to damage to the battery cells and reduced performance. In worst-case scenarios, it could even cause the battery to catch fire.”
