Why Is My Car Overheating?
Your car could be overheating due to issues with the vehicle’s cooling system, extreme weather conditions, or a serious problem with the engine.
If you have the issue fixed quickly, then you can avoid doing lasting damage to your car.
What Causes a Vehicle to Overheat?
A vehicle can overheat due to any of the following issues:
- A coolant system leak
- Blocked or corroded hoses
- Radiator issues
- Broken water pumps
- Not enough oil
How Can I Stop My Car from Overheating?
Regular vehicle inspections can help to prevent overheating issues from occurring in the future.
You should check your car’s coolant levels often and keep an additional bottle of new antifreeze and water in the boot of your car. You can add coolant whenever needed to cool down the engine.
Keep an eye on the temperature warning light whilst driving and try not to overuse your car’s air conditioning system on hotter days.
If you do use your car on a hot day, be sure to park in the shade and use sun shades to cool down the interior.
Be sure to open the windows and floor vents to let warm air escape from the cabin
It is important that you have your cooling system flushed out and cleaned every 40,000 miles so that you can reduce the likelihood of your car overheating.
What Should I Do If My Vehicle Overheats Whilst Driving?
If you notice the temperature warning light come on whilst driving – or see steam rising from your bonnet – you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.
Turn off your engine and make sure that yourself and any passengers stand well back from the car and the road.
If possible, you can open the bonnet from inside the cabin. Let the engine sit for at least 30 minutes to cool down, bearing in mind that you will need to protect your hands as the bonnet will be very hot.
Do not remove the radiator cap or expansion tank cap, as it is pressurised and the steam could burn you
If you do plan to open the cap once the engine has cooled down, do so slowly and make sure your hands are covered.
You can check the coolant tank once the engine has cooled. You should check for fluid pooling underneath your car if the tank is empty, as you could have a leak.
Williams Garage in Winchester Can Find the Issue with Your Overheating Engine
If your engine is overheating, it is essential that you have your vehicle checked by a qualified garage.
The Williams Garage team will first identify the underlying issue causing your engine to overheat. Our dependable team of expert mechanics can then determine the extent of the damage and will repair any issues for you to ensure that your vehicle is safe to drive. Once we are happy that the issue is resolved, we will take the vehicle for a test drive to make sure that the engine is now working properly.
Book an in-depth car service in Winchester with the experienced Williams Garage team and make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive today.