Don’t Leave Dead Phone Batteries in Your Car dashboard–William Sarpong (Managing Editor for Environmental Guide) Warns Public

I want to share a terrifying personal experience that I hope will serve as a wake-up call about the hidden dangers of phone batteries, especially in heat.

It Happened on the Day of My Sister’s Funeral

On Friday, 30th May 2025, I parked my car at home and left for Nsawam in the Eastern Region to attend my sister’s funeral. As I’ve done regularly for the past five years, I removed my car battery before leaving, due to rampant car battery theft in my neighborhood.

Just after I had alighted from a commercial vehicle in Nsawam, I received a phone call: “Your car is on fire!”

I was in complete disbelief. How could that be possible? The car had no battery and hadn't moved all day. There was no electrical current that could have started a fire.

It was during a conversation that I recalled something I had overlooked, a dead phone battery I had left on the dashboard after replacing it with a new one. A phone repairer later confirmed that the dead lithium-ion battery was the source of the explosion that nearly consumed my car.

Why Phone Batteries Are So Dangerous in Heat, Experts revealed to me 

Many people wrongly assume that a “dead” battery is harmless. That assumption nearly cost me my car. Here’s why these batteries are a real fire risk:

1. Heat Sensitivity

Lithium-ion batteries are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. Sunlight through a car windshield can quickly overheat them and trigger a thermal runaway reaction, a chain reaction that leads to fire or explosion.

2. Residual Energy in “Dead” Batteries

Even when no longer in use, batteries can retain some energy. When exposed to heat, their internal chemicals can destabilize and become volatile.

3. Trapped Heat Inside Cars

A parked car with rolled-up windows can easily reach over 60°C (140°F). This heat builds up rapidly and creates a dangerous environment for batteries left inside.

4. Age and Physical Damage

Old or compromised batteries are more likely to malfunction or short-circuit under heat stress, increasing the risk of fire.

My Advice to the Public

This could have been much worse. Someone could have been hurt. I never imagined that a small, discarded phone battery could nearly destroy my vehicle. I urge everyone to take battery safety seriously. Please: