Have you noticed the temperature gauge on your car running hotter than usual? Or maybe your coolant light has come on. Perhaps your car has been overheating on a regular basis, and you’ve had to pull over to let it cool down before proceeding with your day. Let us tell you—you shouldn’t be driving and living this way. You’re risking a vehicle breakdown and damaging your engine if car overheating is an issue for you. To fix the problem, you may need a radiator repair if you have a radiator leak, or you may need a radiator replacement if your radiator is old or damaged beyond repair.
Possible Reasons for Car Overheating
When the temperature gauge on your dashboard reads high, or a temperature warning light comes on, you have a cooling system problem that may be caused by a radiator leak. Some radiator leaks are easy to spot, i.e. a hole from road debris, but others not so much, as in the case of a pinhole-size leak. And because leaks can occur in many different parts of the radiator and can be difficult to find, we don’t recommend trying to repair a radiator leak on your own. The proper functioning of your cooling system is vital for your car, and it’s easy to miss the root cause of a leak. Rather, keep an eye out for puddles near your vehicle that could indicate a radiator leak, and if you see anything, fill up your coolant (with the correct coolant), and get to an auto repair shop as soon as possible.
More on Radiator Leaks & Radiator Repair
Despite the smoke that an overheating car emits, it won’t cause your car to blow up or put you in any danger. Still, an overheating engine can do some serious damage to your vehicle and your wallet. As soon as you notice that your car is overheating, pull over immediately. Continuing to drive can worsen whatever the issue may be and could cost you pricey auto repairs in the long run. Additionally, you’ll want to turn off the air conditioner when your car overheats because it puts stress on your engine. Instead, put your heater on to release some of the extra heat from the engine to assist in cooling it down. In turn, your radiator fan and water pump will operate quicker, pushing more air and water through your vehicle’s radiator.
Call Us If Car Overheating Has You Under Pressure
If you notice your car is overheating, turn the heat on in your car, as this will help move hot air away from your engine, and bring it to a mechanic right away. Procrastination is not an option when it comes to car overheating—you could cause your engine system to fail, which can mean thousands of dollars in auto repairs. Tend to that radiator leak now, get the radiator repair you need, and thank yourself later.