Cars can over heat for several reasons. Basically, there’s something wrong in the engine and the heat can’t escape.
Possibilities include: bad thermostat, broken water pump, a coolant leak, radiator leak, a bad fan, or failing hoses. Any of these problems could lead to a bigger problem for your engine, with costly repairs.
What TO DO:
- Pull off of the road to a safe area and turn off your engine
- Allow your engine time to cool down
- Watch the temperature gauge
- Look for steam from your engine – heat is trying to escape
- Pay attention to odor, such as a sweet smell of coolant leaking
- Check the coolant level. If it’s low, add coolant mixed with water – follow instructions on the coolant bottle, if you have it.
- If your car is low on coolant, you can restart the engine. Pay close attention to the gauges. If the temperature begins to rise, pull over immediately and call a tow truck.
What NOT TO DO:
- Don't keep driving if your car is over heating
- Don’t open the hood until the engine has cooled down a bit to avoid unnecessary risk of burns from steam.
- Don't open the radiator cap until the engine is completely cooled.
If you notice these things, call a repair shop to have it checked. If your car is low on coolant, it could be a new and persistent leak. The systems in your car are dependent on one another. Catching a problem early could help avoid more costly repairs to other parts of your car’s engine.
