Chilling out in his Outback

Dear Tom and Ray: For years, I have been a poor college student, sleeping in my leaky, rusty Jeep on trips, such as snowboarding, to save money (yes, it gets nippy -- hence the zero-degree sleeping bag). Now, with a job, I bought a "new to me" 2006 Subaru Outback that has similar sleeping capacity in the back (yes, I can now afford a car, just not the crazy hotel prices at the ski resorts).

My fear is that this "new" car has far fewer rattles and doesn't leak air like my Hindenburg/Jeep did. So I fear if I sleep in it, I may run out of air and just die in my sleep. Can I die in my car if it is not running and I sleep in it? --Jonathan

Tom: Well, let me be clear about this from the outset, so our lawyer doesn't die in his sleep tonight. We don't know.

Ray: Right. But we're more than happy to give our uninformed opinion, like we do every week!

Tom: I don't think you can suffocate in a closed car. I just don't think cars are airtight to that extent. After all, when you put a car in a lake, it fills up with water and sinks, right?

Ray: And there are vents that always mix some fresh air with your heating and air conditioning, and those may very well remain open pathways all the time.

Tom: That's our guess, Jonathan. Of course, if we're wrong, have your heirs write to us and let us know for future reference.

Ray: We've never heard of anyone dying of suffocation in a closed car, Jonathan. But we'll ask our listeners what they know (write to us via our Web site, www.cartalk.com). And in the meantime, you can always leave a window open a crack. See if that sleeping bag really is good down to zero degrees!

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