Three people were forced to quickly abandon a car they were in when flames started spilling from under the dash board Saturday night.

Three people were forced to abandon a car they were in after flames spilled from under the dash board.

Around 11pm the Tauranga Fire service was called to a car fire between Te Maunga and Maunagatapu, 100m from the ASB Baypark Speedway.

Tauranga station officer Lindsay Nicol says the car was found 'well involved” in flames when firefighters arrived.

Lindsay says the occupants of the car smelled smoke before flames started spilling from the car.

He says the incident would have been scary for the three occupants who were forced to abandon the car.

'Car fires can develop very quickly.”

The fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.