My Car Keeps Overheating and I Cannot Stop It

Car problems are frustrating enough without them repeating themselves. If your car keeps overheating, you’ve got an underlying issue that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Driving an overheating car will damage the engine beyond repair, so bring your vehicle to Total Auto Care the minute the temperature starts to rise. If the automobile is already overheated, pull over and call for a tow truck.

Reasons Why a Car Overheats

There are many reasons why an automobile will overheat and not all of them are in the cooling system. Naturally, because its primary job is to keep the engine cool, a cooling system problem will overheat the engine, but your car could also be running too hot because you’ve got an exhaust manifold leak, an overheated fuel pump, or a cracked engine block. These causes are rarer than the most common reasons why an engine overheats, which are

• Low, dirty, improperly mixed, and/or the wrong engine coolant
• Cooling system leaks out of the hoses, radiator, or water pump
• A dead or dying water pump that is malfunctioning or clogged
• A rusted-through radiator that is corroded and/or leaking coolant
• A broken radiator fan that is no longer blowing over the hot coolant
• A broken or malfunctioning thermostat that isn’t releasing coolant
• Leaking radiator or heater core hoses or a leaking water pump
• Malfunctioning or too loose cooling system or engine belts
• A clogged heater core that is not pushing coolant through
• Dirty, old, or low motor oil that is allowing engine parts to heat up

All of these things will overheat your vehicle’s engine and, thankfully, most of them are relatively easy to fix. For example, if you see engine coolant leaking from the front of your car in the center, it’s likely the water pump. If the coolant is orange, it could be leaking from a rusty radiator. If you cannot remember the last time you had an oil change but you know it’s been at least a year, your motor oil is no longer effectively protecting your engine.

What Should I Do When My Car Overheats?

The most important thing you should do once your temperature gauge on the dashboard starts to rise is to find a safe place to park your car and turn it off. Don’t keep driving, even with the heater blasting. The hotter your engine gets the more chance your radiator cap will explode and you’ll end up with scalding coolant pouring out of your engine. Stop driving and call for roadside assistance and/or a tow truck. Don’t keep driving a hot car.Total Auto Care’s auto repair shop in North Branch, Minnesota can find the reason why your car, truck, or C/SUV keeps overheating and fix it. Give us a call today.