DAS Demo
When the red temperature light comes on in your car, you have to act decisively to avoid serious engine damage. You don’t want an expensive repair bill, and continuing to drive your car when the engine is overheating definitely will not help. If you can’t cool your engine down, you should have your car towed to our dealership. However, try these tips first and they might help you get your vehicle back on the road and to our dealership without having to pay the tow truck.
Time
The size of automobile engines means they don't cool off quickly. However, patient waiting will cool off your overheated engine eventually. Depending on its heat level and size, engines can take half an hour or more to cool to a safe temperature. Searching for the problem that caused your overheated engine often makes for good use of your time while you wait. Make sure you don’t burn yourself though! And if you don't know anything about cars, your best bet is to leave it to the professionals. Don’t go poking around under the hood if you don’t know what you’re doing!
Check the Coolant
A common cause of an overheated engine is low coolant. Sometimes coolant boils away during normal use, but occasionally an engine develops a coolant leak. You should not open the radiator right away because boiling coolant could spray in your face. After about half an hour, take the radiator cap off and take a peek inside. If you don’t see any coolant, you may need to add some. If you can’t find antifreeze for sale nearby, it's possible to use water instead, but tell our dealership’s service technician if you do.
Filling your engine with coolant will bring it down to safe operating temperatures when you restart it. Before getting back on the road, check the ground under the engine. If the engine has a serious leak, you will see a damp spot. You can also check the hoses leading to the radiator, water pump, and heater for leaking coolant. If you see a small leak, you can probably drive your car to your nearest dealer. If you have a major leak, you should have it towed to avoid engine damage.
Lose the Load
Vehicles pulling trailers or carrying heavy loads could cause their engine to overheat, especially if not equipped with trailer packages from the manufacturer. Those packages usually include an upgraded radiator, water pump, and coolant recovery system. After allowing your engine to cool down, try reducing your load before resuming your trip.
Check the Radiator Cap
Cooling systems operate under high pressure, so a loose radiator cap or one with a worn gasket can lead to an overheated engine. After checking the fluid level, inspect the cap for damage before putting it back on tightly.
Check the Cooling Fan
If you find that your engine has adequate coolant levels, check your fan. Sometimes engines overheat when their electric cooling fan fails. This often results from a loose wire connection leading to the fan or from a blown fuse. Caution: keep body parts and loose clothing out of the path of the fan to avoid serious injury. Not all cars have electric cooling fans, so don’t waste your time if you don’t see any wires coming out of the fan on your engine.
Better Safe than Sorry
When your engine starts to overheat, stop quickly to let your car cool. By taking some time to let it cool, reducing your load, checking the fluids, and inspecting the fan and radiator cap, some drivers can recover their vehicle enough to make it to our dealership’s service area. When in doubt, drivers should call for a tow rather than risk causing heat damage by driving their car. The tow will cost much less than major engine repairs. If you’re in doubt, your best bet is to call for help. As always, you can contact our friendly service technicians with further questions. Stay safe out there!
