It does not matter where you are while driving a car, you might pick up a problem with your car overheating. Most cars have good cooling systems, but there can be other problems that will make your car overheat.
What indication is there when a car overheats?
You will notice immediately when your car overheats. If you don't have a lot of knowledge about your car overheating then look out for some of these signs:
- The temperature gauge will be high or in the red
- There might be a burning smell
- There will be steam coming out from under the hood of the car
What do you do when your car overheats?
It is not advisable to continue driving but you might not have a choice or there is nowhere to pull over.
Put your heater on. Yes, put your heater on. Make sure that you switch the air conditioning off, and that you put the heater on full blast. The heat from the heater will take some of the heat away from the engine. Keep the heater on until you can find a safe place where you can pull over. Open some of the car windows to let some of the heat out of the car.
Open the hood and add coolant.
Let the car stand for about fifteen minutes when you get to a safe place where you can pull over. Feel if the hood of the car is still warm after fifteen minutes. If so, you can open the hood. Make sure that the radiator cap is cooled before you try to open it and add coolant. It can help you to get to the nearest garage or dealership where they can assist you.
What can the cause be for a car to overheat?
- A water pump that is failing
- A radiator that is faulty or leaking
- The radiator fan can be faulty
- You are driving in hot weather
- There is not enough water in the radiator
- The cooling system is leaking
If you need engine repair, don't hesitate to give Craig's Car Care a call today.