Responding the right way when your car starts to overheat is absolutely crucial. If you don’t take the right actions, you could irreparably damage your car’s engine. Here are some tips from SDS Automotive to help you out.
Pull Over Somewhere Safe
As soon as you notice that the car is overheating, pull over. Make sure that when you do pull over, you either pull into a parking lot where you can park away from other vehicles or you pull well off the side of the road. Turn on your hazard lights to let other drivers know that there’s a problem with your vehicle. You really should never keep driving once you notice that your car is running too hot, especially if there’s steam coming from under the hood.
Pop the Hood and Let the Car Cool Down
Pop the hood at the very least. That’s going to allow some air under the hood to help with the cooling process. Be careful if there’s too much heat or steam, however. You may have to wait a few minutes before you can even fully lift the hood. Don’t do anything else while you’re waiting for the car to cool down. Make sure the engine is turned off and wait it out.
Take Stock of What You’re Dealing with After a Few Minutes
After a few minutes, you may see that there’s no more steam or that the car seems a lot cooler. It’s time to take a closer look at what’s going on. If there’s not any coolant in the reservoir, then you might have a coolant issue, for instance. Topping up your coolant may resolve the entire problem. But there could be other things going on, like damage to the radiator or a failed water pump.
Assess Whether You Need a Tow or Not
When the car has cooled down, you may or may not know what caused the car to overheat. You can try starting the car again to see what happens. If you know you don’t have coolant and have no way to add coolant or water to the car, you shouldn’t drive it. Also, if the car overheats again as soon as you start it up again, you shouldn’t drive it.
Overheating is a serious issue for your car. Call SDS Automotive in Sacramento, CA if your car is overheating and we’ll be able to diagnose the problem for you. Once you know what’s causing the issue, you can have the right repairs done.