Why Is My Vape Auto-Firing?
When you believe you know everything about your vape, think again.
There's nothing better than bringing your vape to your lips, pressing the manual fire button, or simply inhaling, triggering the activation process that way, and inhaling a beautiful plume of vapor.
At the same time, there's also nothing worse than your vape malfunctioning in your pocket and auto-firing of its own accord.
Vape auto-firing occurs when a vape malfunctions and starts randomly activating on its own. While less common in modern devices, this still occurs, especially in pod systems.
Now, you ask, “Why is my vape auto-firing?” Learn about this and what you can do to prevent the worst from happening.
What Is Auto-Firing?
There are two ways to activate your vape. You can either bring it to your lips and press the activation button to get the coils to heat the e-liquid into vapor, or you can simply inhale to activate that process.
Because most modern vapes are designed with this second option, in which the activation process can kick off without any clear and decisive trigger, vapes sometimes auto-fire. Auto-firing is when the vape activates without being made explicitly to.
There are various reasons vapes auto-fire, such as condensation, debris, poor connection, and more, which you’ll get to know later. It’s easy to differentiate auto-firing from what normally happens. As mentioned earlier, the normal activation of vapes requires you to press a button or inhale manually.
Auto-firing used to happen quite often in the early days of vaping, before the major kinks were worked out of the manufacturing process. Vapes have evolved tremendously over time, but auto-firing is still a hazard. If you use a vape, learn how and why auto-firing happens so you can avoid it to the best of your ability.
Is Auto-Firing Something To Worry About?

Most of the time, auto-firing doesn't lead to anything dangerous. Yes, a combustion reaction was set off without anyone there to monitor its progress. There's danger there. But modern vapes have been designed so that the ignition process is relatively calm and controlled.
Modern vapes also normally come with an automatic cut-off feature. This enables the battery to automatically cut power from the coils if there's no input after several seconds. The worst thing that usually happens is you waste some e-liquid, and the coils can sustain damage. But there is the risk of vape fire and even battery explosion.
What Causes a Vape to Auto-Fire
Condensation
You need to clean your vape regularly. Gunk can build up around the coils and cause all sorts of problems. One such problem is a tendency to auto-fire. Condensation occurs when gunk builds up around the coils.
Debris from your pockets can also fall into the device through the mouthpiece and become the source of auto-firing accidents.
Faulty Coil
If you don't clean your coils regularly enough, they can malfunction and cause an auto-fire. This can also happen if your disposable vape comes with a set of improperly installed or faulty coils. In this case, you'll need to buy a new vape.
Dust/Debris Buildup
Debris buildup, such as dust, is one of the most likely causes of auto-firing. If you encounter this, the first thing to do is pull out the pod and inspect what’s inside the chamber.
Debris can mix with moisture, clogging the sensors. Grab a paper towel or cotton buds to fix this, then wipe away moisture or bits of pocket lint, focusing on the sensors.
E-Liquid Leak
When you know how to clean your vape device properly, you'll have discovered how close the e-liquid tank is to the battery. Vape manufacturers design these little devices so there's the smallest risk of e-liquid leak possible. But e-liquid leaks do happen, and they invariably leak onto the battery.
If you leave your vape lying on its side, e-liquid will likely drip onto the battery if it leaks. Remember this the next time you put your vape down. Keep it situated so the e-liquid will safely pool at the bottom of the device in case of a leak.
Poor Connection
Sometimes the internal parts of your vape are defective or go haywire. Wires can be crossed, or a connection can flare out. In that case, you'll need to take your vape to a technician for fixing.
Firing Button Malfunction
Auto-firing often happens when the vape senses you're trying to inhale but actually aren't. But it can also be caused by a faulty firing button.
If the firing button gets stuck in the “on” position, your vape will kick into the ignition process without you asking it to. It's usually easy to unstick a firing button after it gets stuck, but then the button is more likely to become stuck again, and you don't want that happening off your watch.
Overheating
You may be wondering what causes your vape to get hot, and the answers vary from the effects of chain vaping to faulty batteries to coil gunk and too-high voltage settings.
Whatever the cause of overheating, your vape may auto-fire. Even if you leave your vape out too long in the sun, the ignition process can activate independently and start auto-firing.
Manufacturing Defects
Sometimes, problems are present before you even use your new vape device. In this case, it’s all about manufacturing defects. Connect with your vape provider immediately to address this issue. Our team at RELX has smooth return and exchange policies, so you can get a brand-new vape without defects.
How To Prevent Your Vape From Auto-Firing?

1. Turn Your Vape Off
If your vape starts auto-firing, the first thing you should do is simple: turn it off. You need to give it a chance to cool off and revert to factory settings.
Refer to your vape's user manual if you're unclear on how to turn your device off.
2. Do a Deep Clean, Focus on the Contact Points
Vapes need to be cleaned on a regular basis. The reason your device is auto-firing may have something to do with internal cleanliness. Open up your vape and clean the coils and the contact points.
Use a clean piece of tissue or cloth, not a cotton ball, because its microfibers can cotton off and become wrapped up in the coils. Don't use any chemical cleaner, just a light spritz of water to clean.
3. Inspect the Coils
When you have your vape open, give the coils a good look. Your coils are the metal wires that burn hot whenever you press the activation button. They are what heats the e-liquid to the point that it becomes vapor.
Your coils don't have an endless lifespan. They will eventually reach maximum capacity. Check your voltage setting while you're at it. If you have the voltage set too high, you may have prematurely burned your coils out.
4. Let Your Vape Cool Down
Make sure your vape gets regular downtime. Think of it like a person; it needs its daily rest.
If your vape tends to auto-fire, try giving it more cool-off time than you normally allot it.
5. Remove and Inspect the Battery
The last thing you want is a battery problem. Battery leaks are dangerous because battery acid is highly damaging to human skin. And it's often the battery that is at the root of problems with vapes.
Most people who vape aren't battery experts, so forgive yourself for not knowing what to look for. But before you call in an expert, you can do a quick check yourself. If you see any noticeable signs of degradation or decay, get a new battery.
6. Re-Assemble and Retry
The tried and true method of troubleshooting electronic devices: turn it off, wait, and turn it back on. You can do this with your auto-firing vape, too.
Why Is My Vape Auto Firing? Relax!
You see? The procedures to follow if you find your vape auto-firing are as easy as A-B-C. It will boil down to proper vape care and maintenance. Simply implement the tips you learned from this discussion for a trouble-free vaping experience.
For all your vape needs, check out RELX. We believe that design enables self-expression. That's why all our vapes are beautifully designed without sacrificing any performance power. Get your dream vape today at RELX!
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