Fallout 4 traps Traps in " Fallout 4 " can be found all over the Commonwealth . Types of traps . Randomly around the Commonwealth there will be land mine on the ground and sometimes hanging from chains . These will explode when touched . Vehicles . Vehicles sometimes explode due to gunfire bouncing off of them , grenades or other explosions , or melee weapons . They can pose a serious threat to the Sole Survivor if not careful , but generally will not kill the player . Car explosions will inflict radiation damage and leave the area around the explosions irradiated for a certain time . A car explosion indicator , similar to the grenade indicator , will appear on - screen if the player character is too close to a vehicle that is about to explode . Natural traps . Traps formed naturally from both flora and fauna , generally emitting radioactive clouds . Barnacle . The barnacle , a crustacean , is an unusually large barnacle found in coastal regions generally clinging to rocks and other vertical surfaces next to the sea . For example at Neponset Park , Nahant Oceanological Society and an unmarked location NW of Breakheart Banks . Upon approaching it , the barnacle releases a radioactive cloud that irradiates the Sole Survivor at a rate of + 30 rads / s for a few seconds . Irradiated thistle . A spiky leafed , purple colored plant growing in open grassland and around shrubs . Typically it will release a visible , green tinged radioactive cloud producing 30 Rads / s when the player character moves close to the plant . They tend to grow in groups which can increase the potential dosage . A group of two specimens can be seen growing next to the wooden electricity pole just west of the Red Rocket truck stop near Sanctuary . A larger group of five - six grow a little way north of USAF Satellite Station Olivia in a dry clay patch by a wooden basket . Man - made traps . Makeshift bomb . The makeshift bomb can be found in various places such as Hugo ' s Hole and has the appearance of a cigar box with a small circuit board with some diodes in it and duct tape holding it to a wall . Upon disarming a makeshift bomb , the player receives a spring , steel & copper . Jury rigged guns . There are numerous types of guns jury rigged to fire at an entrance way when triggered . These include double - barrel shotguns , pipe pistols , laser rifles and missile launchers . These are usually very weak and , furthermore , normally miss their targets . Gas trap . Rooms which are filled with a flammable gas , causing a wavy effect in the air . Firing a weapon inside the gas cloud ignites it . One can be found in the diner in Easy City Downs . Another can be found in a shed at Saugus Ironworks . Gasoline trap . Rainbow colored discoloration on the ground indicates gasoline . Firing a weapon at the fuel ignites it . Gasoline can be found in the Hopesmarch Pentecostal Church , the basement of the Shamrock Taphouse , Sublevel 21 - D of the Institute , and the Tucker Memorial bridge is covered in it . Flamethrower trap . A flamethrower jury rigged to shoot fire at the player . Typically activated by opening the door they are found behind . This trap can be crafted at player - owned settlement s . Grenade bouquet . The grenade bouquet is one to three frag grenades being held by a small wire or string that , upon triggering , pulls the pin and drops them to the ground . Upon disarming a bouquet the player receives a number of grenades corresponding to how many were in the bouquet . Radiation trap . Often set by Children of Atom , these small devices emit radiation when triggered by tripwires . They act much like barnacles when they release a small cloud of radiation , but unlike barnacles , can be ignored or even skipped with high enough of a sneak skill . Weak plank . Typically one or two wooden planks forming part of a makeshift bridge will give way as the player character moves over them , potentially causing them to fall and possibly take fall damage . These planks can sometimes be identified by a shallow v - notch carved or worn into the boards near the middle . An example of this type of trap can be found on the south elevation of Saugus Ironworks where a small plank bridge joins two sections of steel stairway . The outer two planks will creak then break away when walking or running across . Tesla trap . This trap is generally located on the ceiling inside buildings , and looks like a large metal smoke alarm with electrodes protruding from its sides . Activation from a pressure plate or trip wire causes the trap to emit lightning bolts in random directions that will cause energy damage . This occurs for a short period of time , after which the trap goes inactive and will not trigger again unless the location it is in is reset . This trap can be crafted at player - owned settlements . Noise making traps . Spotlights . Spotlights are lights which scan across an area and can detect intruders , alerting nearby enemies by beeping loudly . They will continue to follow intruders with their light as long as they are in the light ' s line of sight . Clapping cymbal monkey . These monkey dolls will raise their head to look at nearby intruders with green eyes . Should the intruder remain in their line of sight too long , their eyes will begin flashing red , and they will begin clapping their cymbals together . This will alert nearby enemies to the intruder . They may also be rigged to trigger nearby traps ; this is indicated by a spinning antenna behind its shoulder . The cymbal monkey can be quietly disarmed by shooting off its head with a silenced weapon . Tin can chimes . A string of tin cans suspended from a doorway or ceiling . They will chime upon contact and alert nearby enemies to one ' s presence if the Sole Survivor or a companion runs into them . Collecting them will also cause the chimes to sound . Firing mechanisms and initiating actions . Handmade trip wire . The handmade trip wire appears to be a green thread or fishing line that ' s put across walkways to make a trap go off . Upon disarming the tripe wires the Sole Survivor is awarded a gear and a spring Laser tripwire . The laser tripwire is a fairly obvious tripwire as it emits multiple red lights that are easily seen . Tension trigger . The tension trigger appears to be a small box with short range radio capabilities as it has antennae and no physical connection with what they activate . They are triggered by opening the door or container they are attached to . Bathroom scale . The bathroom scale appears to be a normal bathroom scale with the word " Dead " written on the numbers . They tend to trigger nearby traps , and are sometimes rigged as landmines .