A car overheating can be a pretty serious situation. Even a well-maintained vehicle can overheat and cause the engine to shut down. It becomes even scarier when the engine catches fire or the engine completely shuts down due to the excessive heat. Even when you do your best to prevent this from happening, there are factors beyond your control that can cause overheating to happen. And when it does, you need to be prepared and know how to deal with the issue.
Steps To Resolve Car Overheating Problems
The first step is to analyze why your car overheated. The first and most common reason is that the cooling fan is not working. It could be the fan belt is broken, or that the radiator is clogged up. It is important to assess the cause first so that you can take the necessary steps to fix it.
When you see the first signs of overheating, you should shut off the car’s air conditioner and open all windows. This will decrease the load on the engine and allow it to slowly cool off. If this does not fix the problem, you can turn on the heater and the blower. This will transfer the heat off of the engine and into the passenger compartment. It might be a little inconvenient for you but will do wonders for the car engine! Make sure to roll down the windows of your car as you are doing this, especially during the summer time.
If you are preparing for a long drive, you need to be ready for overheating. A bottle of coolant should be readily available in case of emergency. If you do not have a coolant, you can use water instead. Be very careful when opening up the engine, though, as it can easily burn you in the process. Give it some time to cool off a bit before you attempt to check on the engine. It will require you to be patient but patience can save you from a bigger problem down the road. An important reminder about adding water to the engine – do not do this while the engine is still steaming hot. You might want to let it cool first or the engine may boil over, which can cause severe injuries on your part.
If none of these repairs fix the issue, you need to get help or call for a tow truck. It is also important to pull over, in case your car overheats in the middle of the road. When in the middle of traffic, shift into neutral or park the vehicle to the side of the road. This will allow your car to move towards a reduced pace gradually instead of braking abruptly, which can cause more friction and eventually create more heat in the engine. Unless you are skilled at fixing your engine or dealing with radiator problems, it is too risky to handle on your own.
It is a natural reaction to be panicky when you see your car overheat. However, your safety should be your main priority. Do not attempt to drive your vehicle unless you have guaranteed that it has restored its temperature into a safe level.
