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Much like people, cars are more apt to overheat in extremely hot weather and this year has been bringing some extremely hot weather to places all over Canada. With that in mind, here are a few important things to remember if your vehicle starts to overheat:
- Turn On The Heater
Yes. It sounds counterintuitive, but turning on the heater draws heat away from the engine and into the passenger compartment, easing the burden on the engine’s cooling system. In certain circumstances, that may even be enough to reverse the overheating. You’ll know it’s working if the warning light goes off or the temperature gauge returns to the neutral position.
- Pull Over
If your car continues to overheat after you’ve been driving with the heater on, pull over, cut the engine off and let the engine cool down. If you have roadside assistance, call for assistance.
- Be Patient
If you don’t have roadside assistance, please be patient; it will take at least 15-30 minutes for the engine to cool. In the meantime, do not attempt to remove the radiator cap to check the coolant level. THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. The coolant in a car that has overheated may be in excess of 230 degrees and it is also pressurized, so if you remove it before the coolant cools down, it could be like a scalding “steam grenade” going off in your hand.
- Add Coolant
When you’ve waited at least 15 minutes, put on gloves, open the hood, and locate the radiator cap (consult the owner’s manual if necessary). Cover the cap with a towel and slowly push down and loosen it a quarter of a turn, to release pressure that has built up as a result of the coolant expanding when heated. Then fully open the radiator cap and slowly add coolant—half water, half antifreeze—until the liquid reaches the “full” line. You should also add coolant to the small, clear plastic overflow reservoir mounted to the side of the radiator, he says. Next, replace the cap and turn on the engine. “If the temperature gauge comes back to normal or the red warning light goes out, you can proceed with caution while keeping an eye on the temperature gauge or light.
- Drive To A Service Station
Adding coolant does nothing to address the problem that caused your engine to overheat in the first place, but it often allows you to drive a short distance to the nearest repair station.
FACT: Allowing your vehicle to seriously overheat could destroy its engine. And that kind of repair will be many times more expensive than a coolant leak, so be patient and be very conservative. For the sake of your safety and your wallet, don’t push your luck.
Ultimately, a professional will need to inspect your car’s cooling system to identify what caused the initial leak and also to make certain no additional damage was caused by the overheating.
When you first pull over, take notice of everything, like fluid under the car or steam under the hood and – if necessary – have your vehicle towed. It may sound expensive, but it’s a small fraction of the cost of replacing an engine.
If you’re interested in having your cooling system checked, please click the button below. Depending on current conditions, traditional services may not be available so we’ll contact you to discuss how we can best serve your needs. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.
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