A car that’s overheating can ruin any off-road and road trip. Especially in summer engines get challenge under the local conditions and climate. You should regularly service your car to avoid unpleasant surprise and get stuck.
Causes of overheating:
In general your car should not overheat, if it is in good condition and made for this region (Gulf-Specs).
- The most common reason is simply a lack of enough cooling liquid (water) or some troubles with the circulation of the cooling liquid.
- The radiator fan is not working.
- In worth case you are running low on engine oil and the engine is not properly lubricated, this will cause the engine to overheat and very quickly to fatal damage of the engine. Whenever the control lamp for oil is indicating low oil you should stop immediately, if you don’t want to destroy your engine.
- There might be also other reason which you should check in a garage.
What to do when your car is overheating:
If you see the temperature gauge is edging up to hot or red, there are some simple things you could try:
- Switch off the AC – the compressor of the AC is taking power from the engine in switching the AC off, you reduce the challenge for your engine (BTW fuel consumption is lower with AC off)
- If this will not help, switch on the heating system –this will take some heat out of the engine. Even if this is the last thing you might think of in summer after switching of the AC, to put on the heat, it might give this little effect which will keep the car running until the next garage.
- In case you go off-road and you are near a road higher speed might help – more air will circulate through the engine and the radiator which is in favor of the cooling.
- Try to maintain low RPM of the engine
What to do When your car is overheated (temperature read red or worth steam coming out under the hood):
- In case you need to stop because the radiator is boiling and steam is coming out of the enginge, switch off the engine but let the radiator fan run. Open the hood, but be careful with the steam to not get burned.
- Wait until the engine cooled down before you try to open the radiator. If you can’t turn the cap to open the radiator, it might be an indicator, that there is still too much pressure – meaning boiling cooling liquid – don’t force to open, just wait a bit longer. When you can open the radiators safely refill cooling liquid. Usually clear and clean water will do (don’t put sparking water)
- If you are handy and got some tools with you if might also be a good idea to remove the radiator grill if possible. Without the plastic cover in front of the radiator, you will ensure a better airflow. Especially if the fan is not working this might help.
- Check for leaks in the cooling system, there might be a broken or loose hose. Duct tape and cable strap might be the problem solver in this case.
- Check as well it might be that a belt of the water pump of the radiator spilt off or snapped.
- If you find any good indication why the car overheated try to fix it and try to reach a garage to fix it properly. If it was only small thing like you might be able to continue without any troubles and the issue will not appear again. To be sure better let it check in a garage and have a save ride for the next time.
Published in April 2011
