In anticipation of spending the weekend at the beach, a carefree family gets into the car and drives out. When we had been on the road for a few hours, a catastrophe occurred.
When the engine begins to smoke, the family is forced to pull over and take a break. What will take place after this?!
Despite the fact that it appears that no summer horror film is complete without this legendary moment, it is most certainly not something that you want to replicate on your next road trip!
If you want to be ready for any kind of emergency, you should understand what to do (and what not to do!) in the event that the engine of your automobile overheats.
WHICH CAUSES ENGINES TO OVERHEAT? LIST OF POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THE ISSUE
Because of a variety of factors, engines can overheat. In most cases, this occurs because there is a problem inside the cooling system, which prevents heat from escaping the engine compartment.
It is possible that the problem is caused by a leak in the cooling system, a malfunctioning radiator fan, a broken water pump, a low level of engine oil, or a malfunctioning thermostat of the vehicle.
An overheated engine is not something that you want to let go of for an extended period of time, regardless of the cause of the problem.
It is possible that your engine will experience severe damage, if not permanent damage.
LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM
The cooling system of a vehicle is responsible for controlling the amount of heat that is produced by the engine.
In order to do this, it distributes coolant through the hot zones that are located around the engine block and cylinder heads, and then it returns the coolant to the radiator.
Your vehicle’s engine will experience an increase in temperature and, eventually, overheating if coolant is allowed to escape from the system.
In addition to damage to the radiator, a defective hose, a gasket that has been worn out, a fractured engine block, and other factors can all cause a coolant leak.
Maintaining a regular inspection and maintenance schedule is the most effective strategy to prevent problems with coolant leaks and damage caused by an engine that has overheated excessively.
AN INADEQUATE WATER PUMP
When left to its own devices, coolant does not circulate. The coolant system of a vehicle makes use of a water pump to circulate coolant close to the engine that is operating.
Therefore, if the water pump stops working, it will mess up the flow of coolant, which will result in the engine overheating.
It is important to keep an eye out for the impeller of a water pump, which is a component that resembles a rotating fan and is responsible for moving coolant through the various tubes of the cooling system.
When an impeller that is old or worn down becomes clogged or stops rotating altogether, this can lead to a number of problems.
Additionally, if the flow of coolant is interrupted, the temperature of your engine might rapidly increase. In the event that a water pump performs in this manner, it will be necessary to replace it.
MISTAKEN RADIATOR
When it comes to the cooling system of your car, you might think of the radiator as the command centre.
A combination of water and coolant is continuously pumped from the radiator to the engine in order to help absorb any excess heat that may be present.
On the other hand, when the coolant is brought back to the radiator, it makes use of a number of fins in order to cool down and remove heat from the mixture of coolant and water.
When does a radiator become faulty? The flow of coolant can be obstructed by blocked channels, which prevents heat from the engine from being transferred away from it.
When radiator fins are twisted or damaged, it can make it more difficult for the radiator to successfully remove heat from the fluid that is returning to the radiator.
Last but not least, a leak in the radiator might cause the system to lose coolant, which is the coolant that is the lifeblood of the cooling system within your car.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL THAT IS LOW
In order to ignite the gasoline that propels your car forward, automobile engines make use of a great deal of moving parts.
The engine oil supplies crucial lubrication to each component of the engine, therefore reducing the friction that causes heat to be generated.
When the levels of engine oil are too low, inadequately lubricated parts will generate increased friction, which will lead to the accumulation of heat.
As is the case with coolant, engine oil functions similarly to coolant in that it assists in the transmission of heat away from the engine.
Low amounts of engine oil can sometimes cause heat stress, which can potentially lead to major damage to the engine.
Keeping up with the routine of changing the engine oil at regular intervals is the most effective strategy to completely avoid this issue.
You should take signs seriously, such as the oil lamp on your dashboard, and if you believe that the engine oil levels in your vehicle are too low, you should take your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible. It is better to be cautious than sorry!
THERMOSTAT FAILURE
A thermostat located close to the engine is used by the cooling system of your car to detect when it is necessary to release coolant in order to maintain the engine’s temperature.
Therefore, if you have a thermostat that is not operating properly, the integrity of the entire system may be disrupted.
Your engine may end up overheating if the thermostat is unable to detect high temperatures since it will impede the flow of coolant and cause it to become stuck.
On the other hand, if the thermostat has failed and is allowing coolant to flow continuously, your engine will have a difficult time reaching the temperature at which it can function properly.
Maintenance of the cooling system on a regular basis, including the interchange of coolant fluid in accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer, is the most effective strategy to avoid this.
SIGNS YOUR ENGINE IS OVERHEATING
If you are able to take measures to cool your engine before it overheats to the point where it fails, you may be able to lessen the danger of irreparable damage to the engine.
On the other hand, you must first take note of the
symptoms of overheating, which can include:
Steam, which sometimes appear to be smoke, is coming from the area beneath the hood of the vehicle.
A temperature indicator for the engine that is shown on the dashboard and spikes to the letter “H” or into the red.
The symbols on the engine temperature indicator might change, thus it is important to examine the owner’s handbook.
A peculiar odour emanating from the region surrounding the engine. As an illustration, coolant that is leaking might have a pleasant odour, but oil that is leaking may have a more burned odour.
Proceed with the following measures and get in touch with the repair shop that is closest to you as soon as you become aware that the engine is overheating.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
1. Turn off the air conditioner and turn up the temperature.
Reduce the amount of stress placed on the engine by turning off the air conditioner as soon as possible. The next step is to adjust the dial to the highest possible heat setting.
It is possible that this will assist in removing heat from the engine, so preventing it from overheating until you are able to pull over in a secure spot.
There is a possibility that you will experience some discomfort, but a few minutes of discomfort is a tiny price to pay in comparison to the cost of significant engine repairs.
2. FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER.
Put the car in park and turn off the engine. Please allow the engine to cool down for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
Keep a close eye on the temperature gauge, as it should return to a normal range when the engine returns to its usual operating temperature. While you are waiting (and keeping an eye on the gauge), you should formulate a strategy to get your engine checked out since it has caused it to overheat.
If you need assistance, you should contact a friend, a tow truck, or your neighbourhood Firestone Roadside Assistance.
Towing your car to the closest Firestone Complete Auto Care store or providing assistance with step number three is something that we will arrange for a qualified representative to do for you.
3. RESTART THE ENGINE.
At this point, if your vehicle is not being towed, you should safely restart your engine and then drive to the auto repair shop that is located closest to you.
When you are driving, make sure to keep an eye on the temperature indicator. Stop the vehicle and allow the system to cool down if it continues to increase.
WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
1. DON’T PANIC.
Even when your engine isn’t able to maintain its cool, you can! When you are pulling off the road, you should avoid swerving across traffic or slamming on your brakes.
DON’T CONTINUE TO DRIVE AROUND.
It is not in your best interest to continue driving on the road if your engine is in the process of overheating but is still operating.
There is a possibility that you may be able to reach your destination before it completely fails, but if you push your engine to its limits, you run the risk of causing substantial damage that will be expensive to repair.
3. DON’T OPEN THE HOOD IMMEDIATELY.
Wait until the engine has cooled down before you open the hood to inspect the situation. This should be done after you have pulled over.
If you quickly open the hood, you put yourself at danger of getting burned or injured as a result of the steam or smoke that is released.
Patience is the most important thing. Hold off on opening the hood until the temperature sensor on the engine has reached a stable reading.
4. DON’T LET THE ISSUE LINGER.
The problem of an engine that is overheating will not go away on its own, even if it appears to be resolved once a little amount of coolant is added.
Unaddressed, it will only get more severe in the future. In order to rescue your engine, you need to get to the bottom of the problem.
We will be able to diagnose the issue and provide ideas for how to resolve it if you bring your vehicle to Firestone Complete Auto Care for a Complete Vehicle Inspection.