During summer, outdoor temperature rises and so does your car engine’s. That’s why it’s vital to ensure that it’s always cool. Here are some pointers on what to do to prevent engine overheating.
Turn the Heater On
This may sound unconventional, but turning the heater on will reduce the warmth from within the hood of your vehicle. Your car’s heater works by drawing warm air from around the engine and transferring it to the cabin.
Pull Over to a Safe Place
Park your vehicle somewhere safe as soon as possible when you see the overheat warning light on your dash. And then, turn the engine off immediately. This will decrease its temperature right away. Driving with an overheated engine can damage its internal and external parts. Don’t forget to call roadside assistance at this point.
Open the Hood
Another thing that cools down an overheated engine is simply opening the hood of your car. Make sure to wear heat-resistance gloves before performing this task, or wait for at least an hour before touching the hood. Also, remember to never come into contact with the engine and any of its surrounding parts until they’ve completely cooled down.
Check Your Coolant
The next thing to do is to check your coolant. Sometimes, it depletes, so the radiator is unable to decrease the engine’s temperature adequately.
You can replenish your coolant by locating the radiator cap. Check your car’s manual to help you with this. And then, open the cap and pour the coolant in until the indicated level.
Restart the Engine
Check if the above-mentioned methods have worked, by restarting the engine. If the engine temperature indicator on your dash has come down, drive to a service station near you if there is no roadside assistance available. If the engine overheats again, pull over to a safe area once more and let it cool down for a while before driving again.
Drive to Graham Tire!
You can save your car engine now that you know what to do when your car overheats. To prevent dealing with an overheated engine in the future, visit Graham Tire! Our team of mechanics can provide quality auto repair and maintenance. Drop by our auto shop today to find out more about our services.