What to do if your car engine overheats
After pulling over, these are the steps you should take...
A car’s engine can overheat for a number of reasons, and there are five steps you must take to minimise the danger when it happens.
Ignoring an overheating engine could result in permanent injury to the car, and potentially to yourself, so it’s best to take the necessary precautions if you’re caught in such a situation.
According to engine experts, signs that a vehicle is too hot include:
• A smoking engine
• Burning smell from the engine
• Engine temperature warning light illuminated.
If your car starts to overheat while you’re driving, pull over as soon as it’s safe to do so.
If you continue to drive with an overheating engine, you could do permanent and/or costly damage to the vehicle.
After pulling over, these are the steps you should take:
Once coming to a stop next to the side of the road, the first course of action is to turn off the car’s engine to allow it to cool down.
It may take up to 15 minutes for the car to return to its normal operating temperature.
In the meantime, don’t attempt to open the bonnet because the coolant can reach temperatures of up to 230 degrees Celsius at overheating point, presenting a big burn risk if you fiddle.
If you have roadside assistance, it is a good idea to call them while you wait for the engine to fizzle out.
Something that helps but few people know of, is to switch on the car’s heater.
Switching on the heater pulls warmth away from the engine and channels it into the cabin, assisting the powerplant to chill faster.
Sometimes the temperature warning light on your dashboard will turn off and you can try drive the car again.
However, rather than continuing with the journey as planned, make a pitstop at a professional to have the vehicle inspected for any damage.
If you do get going again, remember to keep an eye on the temperature gauge as you drive.
If the gauge begins to creep up, pull over and wait for the engine to cool again.
After the temperature has subsided, make sure to check for coolant leaks in the hoses and radiator of your car as this is generally one of the chief reasons for an overheating engine.
If there are no detectable leaks, the system may not have any coolant left in it – which is another potential cause for a rising thermostat.
As such, if you don’t see any liquid draining out of the engine bay, top off the coolant to the maximum level to alleviate further problems.
However, if a coolant line is clogged or the root of your problem is a damaged radiator fan or leaky water pump, this step will be ineffective.
Even if you have followed all of the above steps, the safest bet to ensure there is no long-term damage is to take the car to a reputable workshop that can properly examine its condition and provide advice accordingly.
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