The Do’s & Don’ts of When Your Car Overheats in Garner, NC

Table of Contents

• Why Do Engines Overheat?
• Common Signs of an Overheating Engine
• The DO’s of When your Car Overheats:
  • Pull Over in a Safe Lane:
  • Shut the Engine:
  • Stop the AC:
  • Check the Coolant:
  • Have Your Vehicle Towed:
• The Don’ts of When your Car Overheats:
  • Do not Leave your Car Unattended:
  • Do not Open the Engine Hood Immediately:
  • Do not Add Water:
  • Do not Drive:
  • Do not Panic:
• Conclusion

Introduction

When starting on a perfectly planned road trip in Garner, NC, the last thing anyone wants is to have their car overheat in the middle of nowhere. More than just an annoyance that can ruin your day, an overheating engine can be equally dangerous, at times leading to severe accidents or even fatalities.

One of the main reasons that engines overheat is something is broken with the cooling system and not letting heat escape. If you experience overheating, don’t ignore it. Instead, call one of our convenient auto repair shops to get the problem fixed.

Why Do Engines Overheat?

There are several reasons for your engine to overheat. The most common is when your cooling system fails, and heat from the engine cannot be dissipated fast enough through the radiator. As a result, it accumulates and heats your engine. This can be caused by a broken fan, thermostat, or maybe even a faulty water pump.

Another reason for your car overheating can be contamination from dust particles that get into your cooling system over time and block the passages through which engine coolant passes. Usually, this happens when there is a crack in your radiator – or maybe because of a faulty hose from the cooling system – causing an insufficient coolant flow throughout your engine.

Regardless of the problem, if your car is overheating, you need to get it fixed by a car mechanic in Garner before it causes any severe damage to your engine.

Common Signs of an Overheating Engine:

If you can cool down your engine before it reaches the failing stage, you may reduce the potential risk of engine damage. But before that happens, you need to look for the signs your car exhibits when overheating.

Some of these signs include:

• Smoke or steam coming out of the engine area. This happens because the impurities inside the radiator get burnt off due to heat and start to clog up, leading to overheating.
• The temperature gauge in your car climbs rapidly, increasing to an extraordinarily high level.
• The temperature light in your car has turned on, and it is blinking continuously to alert you of danger.
• The engine starts to make a knocking sound; this happens when bearings inside get overheated because of insufficient lubrication, further contributing to overheating.
• An odd or burning rubber-like smell emanates from under the hood.
• There is a delayed transmission shift or slipping of gears. This happens because of hot transmission fluid that cannot function properly due to overheating; it fails to perform its task.
• Your car starts running roughly and emits white smoke out of the exhaust pipe, followed by a sharp decline in power. High temperatures may cause the engine to seize up completely.
• Your car starts shaking or vibrating continuously, which eventually stops due to overheating various engine parts.

As soon as you notice any of the above signs, take the below steps and immediately get your car to an auto repair shop near me to prevent irreversible damage.

The DO’s of When your Car Overheats:

Here are some simple things to do in case your car overheats:

Pull Over in a Safe Lane:

Get off the road as soon as possible and turn on your hazard lights. Find a safe place to exit the highway, clear of oncoming traffic.

Shut the Engine:

Switch off your engine as it continues to overheat even though you have pulled over. This step is crucial as it prevents your car from overheating further and causing irreparable damage to parts of the engine.

Stop the AC:

Turn off the air conditioning or heater and open both front and rear car windows for proper airflow. This helps reduce the temperature of your car quickly so that heat does not accumulate inside, making the situation worse.

Check the Coolant:

NEVER OPEN A HOT RADIATOR! Call us immediately if your coolant level is low or you see signs of green, yellow, or red fluid leaking from your engine area. Do not continue to drive your vehicle.

Have Your Vehicle Towed:

Overheating engines don’t typically heal themselves. If your vehicle temperature exceeds the normal temperature range, shut off the engine and have your car towed to a nearby auto mechanic shop in Garner for further assistance.

The Don’ts of When your Car Overheats:

Do not Leave your Car Unattended:

Many people think that leaving their car idle will help cool down the engine, but this is not true. This only causes more damage to your engine as the oil that lubricates it gets heated up, damaging seals and gaskets.

Do not Open the Engine Hood Immediately:

Once you pull over, do not open the engine hood before your car cools down fully. If you open the hood when your car is still hot, it may result in burning yourself or damage to electrical and other sensitive parts of your engine.

Do not Add Water:

Adding plain tap water to your radiator may seem like a good idea, but it is not. Tap water contains impurities and minerals that can damage your cooling system and lead to rust and corrosion of metal parts in the engine block. Again, NEVER OPEN A HOT RADIATOR!

Do not Drive:

Under no circumstances should you drive your car again until it is towed to an auto repair shop. Driving while overheating can cause extensive damage to your engine, leading to a complete breakdown, which is quite expensive in terms of repair costs.

Do not Panic:

Panicking is the first thing most people do in case of overheating. However, panicking can worsen the situation, leading to more damage to your engine when you act without clearly thinking through the steps. Take deep breaths, stay calm and follow the steps mentioned above.

Conclusion

Your car overheating can be a sign of any number of engine, cooling system, or even electrical system problems. The best way to prevent overheating your car is to have it serviced and maintained regularly. Routine inspection from professional Garner auto repair technicians can help spot any issue early and prevent costly repairs.Are you stuck on the road with your overheated car? Keep your cool and head straight to Carfix Auto Repair in Garner for all your automotive repairs, maintenance, and oil change service requirements.