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What To Do If Your Car Engine Is Overheating
If your engine is overheating, perform the following procedures to cool it down:
Step 1
If you have an air conditioner, turn it off. Running the A/C puts a lot of strain on the engine.
Step 2
Put your car in neutral or park, then start it up and rev the engine. This causes the fan and water pump to spin faster, pulling more air and water through your car’s radiator. This increased circulation aids in the cooling of the engine.
Step 3
Pull over and open the bonnet as soon as you notice the temperature gauge creeping into “H” territory (which stands for “hot”). This dissipates heat and allows air to circulate through the hot engine.
Please keep in mind that you must be cautious when opening the
Note: you need to be careful when opening the bonnet — hot steam may come blasting out, so you have to be extra careful when doing this.
Step 4
Do not open your radiator pressure cap (the cap on top of the radiator) while the engine is hot. Doing so is very likely to release a high-pressure combination of steam and radiator fluid that can cause very serious burns. Remember to be cautious when opening the bonnet — hot steam may burst out, so proceed with caution.
Step 5
Check the coolant reservoir tank and fill if needed. Most modern cars have a plastic reservoir of coolant connected to the top of the radiator.
Step 6
While the engine is hot, do not open the radiator pressure cap (the cap on top of the radiator). This will almost certainly result in the release of a high-pressure mixture of steam and radiator fluid, which can cause severe burns.
Step 7
Check the coolant reservoir tank and, if necessary, refill it. Most modern vehicles have a plastic coolant reservoir connected to the top of the radiator.
Step 8
Examine the cooling system for leaks. If your radiator or cylinder head appears to be faulty, or if you open the coolant reservoir and the levels are normal, you may have a cooling system leak. If you’re familiar with cars, look for signs of leakage in the radiator, core plugs in the engine block, or the cylinder head near the head gasket.
