Why Is My Car Overheating?
Blog/ Why Is My Car Overheating?
AuthorCategory Car Advice
Picture this…you’re waiting for the lights to turn green as you sit in traffic. But you’re also tensed. You’re praying for the traffic to move fast enough so that you can get enough air through your car radiator to lower the temperature needle on your gauge.
That’s a lot of inconvenience and stress.
When you’ve got an overheating engine, it’s worse than a discomfort. It’s even worse when you end up stranded on the side of the road only to get hit by a huge serious bill for the problem to go away.
In this article, you’ll see what makes a car run hot and the best way to deal with it.
Let’s get right into it…
Why Is My Car Running Hot?
Most times the usual culprit is your coolant. The coolant of your car is a liquid that circulates throughout the engine and cools it as a result.
If there’s a leak in the cooling system and the coolant leaks out, then your engine won’t cool properly. The result? An overheating car.
Let’s say you checked your coolant level and it’s full but your engine is still overheating. Your next question would be, “Why is my engine overheating with a full coolant?”
Well, although your car’s coolant is a common cause of an overheating engine, other factors can be responsible.
Here are some reasons why your car may be overheating:
- Bad Water Pump: Just like the name says, a water pump will help pump and circulate the engine coolant throughout the engine. If it goes bad then the result is an overheating car engine.
- Blocked Radiator: Any issue with your car radiator will result in antifreeze not flowing through your car as it should, leading to increased temperature.
- Thermostat Problems: The thermostat is responsible for the regulation of your car engine’s temperature. If it gets stuck or encounters any problem, it’d restrict coolant flow and cause your car to overheat.
- Blocked Hoses: If your coolant isn’t leaking, you should check the coolant hose. If it’s blocked then that means your coolant wasn’t able to reach your engine hence, its hot temperature.
- Heater Core Problems: The heater core in your car is what keeps you warm on cold days. If it gets plugged, it will hinder the flow of your engine coolant and lead to overheating issues.
What to Do When Your Car Is Overheating.
Immediately you notice any signs of your car overheating, turn off your car’s air conditioner and open the windows. This will help to reduce the engine’s workload and give it the chance to cool off.
If your car continues to overheat, turn on the blower and heater. This might get hot, but it could help prevent a blown engine. This will help to transfer the engine’s heat to the passenger side of your car. It might help your car but we can’t say the same for you.
Stuck in traffic? Then, shift into Neutral or Park and rev the engine a bit. This increases the speed of your fan and water pump to draw up air and liquid from the radiator to help cool your engine.
Tip: If the traffic is crawling, move only when the gap between you and the car in front of you is reasonable.
If you feel that your car is getting worse, find a place to park off the road and open the hood. Then, wait for it to cool off.
Avoid opening the radiator cap and don’t add water until the engine is quite cool. Otherwise, it can be dangerous and you may get burned from the hot water.
It’s far better to deal with your overheating engine as soon as the temperature is higher than what it’s supposed to be.
An overheating car can put a lot of burden on you and your pocket. Bear in mind also, that the longer your car is left to overheat, the higher the damage and repair costs.
Your car engine can end up dead and would need a full rebuild or replacement, draining you of several thousand dollars.
SellMax: A Solution to Your Car Overheating Problems.
Even if your car overheats only once, there’s a high likelihood that it can happen again. Hence, it’s wiser to have a better solution when you’ve realized that dealing with the inconveniences and repair costs is out of your financial plan.
That’s why SellMax exists. You can sell us your car as-is without hassles. You don’t even have to trade in a car , plus we will come to you and pick it up.
All you need to do is to fill our online form with your car details. We’ll give you an instant offer that’s fair enough for your car. We aim to give you more than what the car is worth when you sell a car for parts.
Once you accept what we’re offering, we’ll come to you wherever you are and whenever you want to tow your car away for free. You’ll get exactly what you received from us with no hidden charges attached. It’s that simple and fast.
Wondering how much your car is worth? Find out with our online car value calculator now!
