Why Does My Car Engine Overheat?

We all love summertime and the outdoor opportunities that come along with it, but no family outing or trip is complete without an iconic horror scene. During summertime, the iconic incident could be your car breaking down due to overheating!

Several reasons your car could have an engine failure and the most common reason is a not well maintained cooling system. Heat isn't allowed to escape from the engine, and the temperatures outside add to the situation. It could be a clogged coolant hose, broken water pump, or a faulty radiator fan, but regardless of the source of additional heat, the damage to your engine can be severe, and it isn't something you can just ignore.

Read the Warning Signs

Before the engine overheats to failure, it sends out warning signs, and reading them correctly can save your engine from permanent damage. The signs usually include:

• The engine temperature gauge on your dashboard spiking to ‘H’ or Red.
• Smoke or steam coming from the car hood.
• A leaking coolant or an unusual burnt smell.

What to Do Now?

Upon identifying these signs, immediately turn off your car AC and stop to let the engine cool down. It can bring a little discomfort, but it is still a small price to pay compared to significant engine repairs!

Check the water pump and add coolant. Carefully restart the engine and do not panic while you are at it. If the damage is beyond repair, call the nearest repair shop and get immediate help.

Avoid opening the hood immediately as it can put you at risk of burns or injuries from the spewing hot smoke and steam that has been accumulating all this time.

An overheated engine does not fix itself, so ignoring the warning signs will not help. Start with a complete vehicle inspection and travel with a spare water bottle if you need to refill the water tank. No such incident comes with a pre-warning, so being prepared and knowing how to handle such situations is a must!

Take Care!

As said, "If you take care of your car, it will take care of you." It will take you to breathtaking places irrespective of how cold or hot it is outside. One way to avoid such mishap is to have regular coolant flushes and be diligent when your car needs maintenance as per recommendation.

Always travel with spare fuel and coolant if you plan on traveling long distances and perform a complete vehicle check right before you set off on your adventure!

For questions and queries, visit us at LeSueur Car Company and get a complete engine checkup.

Firestone. (2019, July 22). WHAT TO DO (& NOT DO) WHEN YOUR CAR OVERHEATS. Retrieved from https://blog.firestonecompleteautocare.com/maintenance/when-car-overheats/#:~:text=Engines%20can%20overheat%20for%20many,pump%2C%20or%20clogged%20coolant%20hose.

Rod. (2019). Common Causes of Overheating and What to Do About It. Retrieved from Car Tips: https://worldclassautoservice.com/common-causes-of-overheating-and-what-to-do-about-it/