What To Do When Your Engine Overheats

What To Do When Your Engine Overheats

Internal combustion engines like the ones in our vehicles get very hot. For this reason, many of the critical functions in any car are designed to help a car manage and expel that heat. Too much heat can cause catastrophic damage to your car, which is why it is crucial to properly maintain your vehicle. This includes regular oil changes and inspections and/or repairs of your water pump, radiator, fans and their associated hoses, belts, etc.

All drivers should be prepared should your vehicle begin to overheat. We’ve put together a few tips and tricks that can not only keep you safe, but save you from costly repairs.

Pull Over

If you get a warning light, see white smoke coming from the hood of your car or see your temperature gauge climbing, pull over as soon as it’s safe to do so. The damage that can be done to your car trying to get to your destination is simply not worth it.

Turn off your A/C

All air conditioners have a condenser, which generates substantial heat and there are several components that help keep that condenser cool, such as coolants, a fan, water pump, etc. Should any of these components fail, couple that with the fact that it’s hot enough outside to have the A/C on in the first place, it’s very possible your car will overheat.

If you notice your car overheating, start by turning the A/C off and eliminate that heat source under the hood of your car.

Check your Coolant

Your engine coolant does exactly as the name implies – It helps to keep your engine cool. It draws heat away from your engine and its various components and runs through your radiator. The heat transfers from the coolant to the metal fins on the radiator and expels from there. The radiator is located right at the front of your car. When driving, air enters your grille and pushes that hot air away.

Low coolant levels most certainly indicates a leak somewhere within that system. You can add coolant back into your system but chances are this is only a temporary fix until you can have your car diagnosed and repaired.

A couple additional things to consider here:

– Engines can overheat standing still- By not moving, your car can’t take advantage of air entering the grille of your car and expelling the heat. If you’re stuck in traffic on a hot day with the A/C on, there is a lot of stress on your car’s systems.

– Your car can overheat in the winter – Don’t fall into a false sense of security during the winter time. Your car produces an enormous amount of heat and if any of your cooling system components are failing, you can absolutely overheat your car.

Keep Cool Yourself

In a situation where your car is overheating, it is wise to keep your cool and approach the situation with both logic and patience.

For instance, if your car is overheating, turn off the car and wait for your engine to cool down. Do not open the hood right away – your engine components may be too hot to touch and could cause burning.

You also want to find a safe location to pull over. Ensure that there is plenty of room on the shoulder should you have to pull over on a road. Ideally, you’ll want to find a parking lot or somewhere away from traffic.

Get Your Car Looked At

Preventative maintenance is key when it comes to car ownership. There’s never a good or convenient time to be dealing with a car issue. If you’re on your way to work or have a couple of kids in the back seat, a break down can be inconvenient and dangerous.

BBack Car Care helps keep people safe on the road with regular system checkups. Our team provides multi-point inspections, looking for issues such as cracked hoses or failing components, such as a radiator or water pump. We’ll review any issues that you’ll want to keep an eye on and/or make the appropriate repairs to get you back on the road, safe and sound.

Is your car overheating? Request an online appointment or call our service desk today to schedule your appointment.