Engine Overheating? Here’s what you should do!

When it gets hot outside, it is quite likely for our car engines to get overheated. Modern cars do have good cooling systems. However, you never know when you’ll have a bad day. Thankfully, there are various things you can do to bring the temperature of your engine down to normal. Let’s have a look:

• Park your car on the side of the road and turn off your engine (if you can). Flip your key back to ignition as soon as the engine stops. The engine will shut down but the blower and radiator fan will keep cooling down the coolant. Do this only if you can manage some time to stop and give your engine some time to relax.
• If it is safe to stop, you should open the hood and allow heat to disperse. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge. If you see steam coming out, you must immediately stop and open the hood. Make sure you do not open the radiator pressure cap while the engine is hot as pressure release of radiator fluid and steam can cause very serious burns.
• When you see the gauge rising up, turn off your car’s air conditioner and roll down the windows. Air conditioner puts a lot of pressure on your car’s engine. This way, let nature cool down things as they should be.
• Did you keep an extra bottle of coolant? Always, make sure to keep and an extra bottle of coolant. When you stop, check your coolant reservoir tank and fill it up if required. Every car has water/coolant tanks which need to be maintained to a specific level. If you engine is pumping heat, make sure the coolant tank is full with either water or coolant (read your car manual).
• There might a leak in the cooling system. If you are experienced with cars, then check the core plugs in the engine block, cylinder head & radiator for any signs of leakage. If you don’t know all these, take your car to the nearest garage or call a mechanic.
• If you can’t stop then turn on your heater. Yes, it might sound crazy but it actually works. Turn the heater all the way up along with the fan. The inside of the car will become hot as well causing you discomfort but it is good for the engine. Point the vents out of the windows to help reduce the engine temperature. Running your heater and fan on full blast take heat away from the engine eventually cooling it down.
• Do not rush in stop and go traffic. It is always to go at a steady pace rather than going fast then stopping and then again going fast. This puts load on the engine causing it to overheat quickly. People won’t cut you off in stop and go traffic, so it is better to go easy with your engine.
• If your car gets overheated very often, it is best to consult your mechanic and find out the solution. Many a times car owners ignore this issue thinking that it is happening due to over use or reckless driving. Get your car checked up by a repair shop and find out the reason of overheating.

There are several other ways of keeping your car engine’s temperature down. However, you’ll have to proactive rather than reactive in order to have a good driving experience.
No one wants to stop on the road and let the engine to cool down. Few proactive steps can make your journey, a stress free drive.

This entry was posted in: Car Tips

Tagged: car, cool engine, drive hot, engine, overheating, radiator