It happened around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in a shopping center in Rockville, Maryland.
The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service responded to the scene.
Fire officials said the driver was smoking a cigarette and then started to use hand sanitizer.
The sanitizer ignited and set the whole car on fire.
The man was taken to the hospital with minor burns, firefighters said. His injuries are said to be non-life-threatening.
Officials said "using hand sanitizer and smoking a cigarette is a bad combo in unventilated areas like a car."
The vehicle was a total loss.