What should you do if your car or truck is overheating?

If you’re worried about your car overheating or you’ve experienced a car overheating, it’s not unusual to be concerned about it. Overheating engines is a fairly common problem. However, it’s still dangerous and stressful.

Stay calm, and don’t panic if your engine is overheating. The first rule of an overheating engine is to stay calm and remember your safety. Let’s jump into the article and see how to tell if your car is overheating and the steps to follow!

How Do You Know If Your Car Is Overheating?

There are various reasons why your car could be overheating. It’s not always easy to identify why. However, it’s most often related to your cooling system. Your cooling system includes your radiator, water pump, and coolant hoses.

Regardless of why your car is overheating, if you ignore it, you could do a lot of expensive damage to your engine and cooling system. Warning signs to look out for include the following:

  • Steam coming from underneath your hood.
  • Your engine sounds louder than normal.
  • You can hear unfamiliar clunking or knocking noises.
  • Your engine temperature is high, or there is a warning light on the dashboard.
  • Your engine begins to stall.

What to Do If Your Car Is Overheating!

  1. Stop Driving ASAP! – The first thing you should do if you notice your car overheating is to pull over and stop driving as soon as it’s safe to do so. Switch off the engine and allow it to cool for as long as possible.
  2. Call A Towing Company or Roadside Assistance – It’s tempting to start doing mechanical repairs yourself. However, overheating engines can be hazardous. They’ll be able to either diagnose what the problem is or safely recover you and your vehicle and take you to a mechanic shop.
  3. Switch off the Airconditioning – If you notice your temperature gauge starts to rise, switch off your air conditioning. Using your air conditioning while the engine is already struggling to cool itself can put added strain on the coolant system.
  4. Don’t Open the Hood or Radiator System – Before opening the hood of your vehicle, allow at least 30 minutes for your engine to cool. Never open a radiator or coolant system while the engine is hot, as pressurized steam or water can cause severe burns. The longer you can leave opening your hood, the safer it will be.

Towing A Broken Down Vehicle

There you go! Now you know exactly what to do and what not to do if your car is overheating and you’re out on the highway. If your car is overheating in Eagle or Summit County, Mountain Recovery is just a phone call away.

If you have been involved in any automotive accident in Eagle County or Summit County, Colorado, or your vehicle is overheating, Mountain Recovery is only a phone call away at 970-476-1124. We operate 24/7, 365 days a year, to keep you moving and help get your vehicle back on the road.