Anyone would be terrified to see smoke coming from under the hood. Overheating engines can and do often happen due to several reasons. Besides ruining your journey, an overheated engine can cause permanent damage if the right precautions and actions aren’t taken.
Now what you need to do if you are stuck in traffic and the car temperature gauge is on the big red “Hot” is essential. Time is of the essence and can have a crucial impact on your car’s longevity and health. Belching steam and smoke with a sputtering halt on the road can be disastrous and frustrating. Anyone would ask the question, “why is my car overheating?” The reasons can be diverse and hard to pin down. To help you understand and identify the reason behind engine overheating and possible immediate actions, experts at SPN America have outlined a course of action to assess and resolve the engine overheating issues.
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The bottom line is, if your vehicle is overheating, do not try to drive further. Stop driving immediately, pull over, and turn off the car. You can try to assess the situation and the cause of the pounding hot engine. However, the best course of action is to call an auto expert to identify the problem. Towing and roadside assistance professionals at SPN America towing network can assess your vehicle’s condition and resolve any minor issues on the spot. We can offer any type of towing service and tow the car to safety with our extended network of towing providers throughout the United States.
A Leak in the Cooling System
One of the significant reasons for engine overheating. Such that if there is a leak in the head gasket, radiator, hoses, water pump, or thermostat housing, your engine will have to sustain extra trouble. Thus, if the problem persists for a longer time, the vehicle engine wouldn’t be able to do what it’s supposed to do. Finding the leak and fixing it might not always be an easy feat. In that case, it’s better to tow the car to a repair garage on the go with no time waste.
Coolant or Antifreeze Issues
Coolants or antifreeze helps your radiator regulate engine temperature. Leaking coolant can be a problem, but you can still face issues if there isn’t any leak in the system. For example, if the coolant is old, the coolant-to-water ratio is not right, or if you’ve put the wrong coolant in your car. Any of these can cause your engine to have difficulty transferring heat in the cooling system.
Radiator Problems
One of the most common causes of the engine heating problem is a faulty radiator. Debris such as leaves, dust, or pebbles can quickly accumulate around the vehicle radiator. And clog the pipes that maintain a constant airflow necessary to keep the car engine cool. Other than debris, a leaking radiator or fan issue in the radiator can block the heat dissipation into the air. All these problems can potentially cause the engine temperature to rise and create further problems.
The Thermostat Might be Faulty
Every engine has a thermostat that keeps the engine temperature within a specified safe range. When working correctly, a thermostat neither fully opens nor closes, allowing an optimal flow of coolant.
On the other hand, a faulty thermostat will be stuck in a closed or open position, allowing excessive or suboptimal coolant flow. That can cause the engine to overheat and dramatically lower its efficiency. A thermostat issue can arise over time, but the visible engine overheating can occur suddenly. You need to contact a towing service or roadside assistance provider immediately if your engine stalls due to overheating to get your vehicle to the nearest auto mechanic shop.
Note: Do not try to open the hood and check your car engine immediately. Be careful and let it cool down as it might be scorching and steaming.
How to prevent your car from overheating?
It’s best to prevent than to cure, and the same goes for your car. The most optimal measure for overheating vehicle is regular check-ups and maintenance. Get your vehicle examined by a professional auto technician to ensure the cooling system is working correctly, and there aren’t any blockages or leaks in the venting system. Also, the fluid levels and thermostat are in good condition.
You can also do some basic checking yourself, like the coolant and engine oil levels in your car occasionally. But remember to check when the vehicle is cool and not injure yourself from the bursting hot steam.
What Should you do if your car overheats?
In case you are driving and notice a strange smell or smoke, getting up from the engine of your car, immediately pull over to the side of the road and turn it off. Because when you try to drive further with an overheated engine, you can severely damage the car and even face hazardous situations. The next thing you need to do is, lift the hood to allow a quick heat dissipation from the engine.
Furthermore, most of the vehicle engines are made of aluminum. For that reason, when exposed to high temperatures can crack or warp. And lead to expensive repairs such as cylinder head or entire engine replacement for your car.
Call Your Local Towing and Roadside Assistance Experts
Unfortunate situations can land anyone at any time without any prior notice. So, you need to be prepared and know when to call a tow truck service. And what to do in an unpleasant circumstance where your car heats up above the threshold. First things first, pull over to the side of the road and contact the best towing service provider – SPN America towing and roadside assistance network.
SPN America network of towing companies offers all kinds of services, from on-site recovery to the vehicle towing or even heavy-duty towing from the incident site to a safer location. In the case of an overheating engine, we’ll tow your vehicle to the nearest repair shop to identify and resolve all the issues causing overheating in your car.
For any queries on SPN America’s quick and reliable towing services, contact us now.