A family is enjoying a weekend ride and planning to visit the beach, but suddenly the car stops and the engine smokes out a lot. What do you do here? How will handle this situation and what will you plan next? Before taking your car for a vacation, ensure that you know what to do if disaster strikes and when the car engine overheats suddenly. In this blog, let us discuss the causes of engine overheating and the ideas to handle the same.

Engine Overheating:

Before understanding the causes of engine overheating, let us understand the exact meaning of overheating. Usually, the car engine operates between temperatures of 195 and 220 degrees Fahrenheit. If the engine exceeds this temperature range, then the problem starts. It doesn’t mean that your engine is facing failure but just overheats.

Causes:

Several things may cause the engine to overheat suddenly. Let us have a look at those factors:

Thermostat Malfunction:

The main work of the thermostat is to check the temperature of the engine. It does this job by opening and closing with some breaks. If the thermostat faces any issues, it will remain closed without checking the temperature. As a result, the coolant couldn’t continue its job of circulating and thus eventually leads to engine overheating.

Poor Coolant Level:

Coolant is a liquid and its main job is to circulate the engine to keep its temperature normal. So, if there is a low coolant level, then the problem arises. Due to poor coolant level, the engine began to get overheated. Thus, you need to check the coolant range before planning your ride.

Radiator Issues:

The radiator is a crucial component and any problem occurring with this component will affect greatly the engine. Sometimes, the radiator leaks or faces some blockage, and due to this, the engine gets overheated suddenly.

Damaged Hoses:

The liquid coolant usually travels through the channels known as hoses. When there is a blockage or damage in those hoses, the coolant stops circulating. As a result, the engine starts to get overheat without the coolant circulation.

Failure Of the Cooling Fan:

The Cooling fan supplies air over the radiator and thus, it will help to remove heat from the engine. Sometimes, the cooling fan malfunctions unexpectedly and the engine gets less supply of air, thus results in overheating.

Water Pump Problems:

The coolant is circulated to the engine via the water pump. So, if there is any issue with this water pump, then the coolant supply to the engine stops leading to the overhead of an engine.

Engine Oil Problems:

Engine oil is crucial in lubricating the engine and dissipating heat. If there is a low engine oil level or thick or dirty oil, then the engine oil couldn’t do its job rightly. So, here the car engine overheats quickly due to engine oil issues.

How Do You Prevent Engine Overheating?

The best way to avoid overheating an engine is to have the best maintenance of the car. You need to check the coolant flushes and radiators regularly to avoid getting the above issues. The vehicle manufacturer recommends you some car care tips and the maintenance of radiators and coolants. You can use such guides and preventive measures and also, go for routine car inspections.

How To Handle When the Car Engine Overheats?

Turn Off The A/C First:

The first step is to turn the A/C to reduce the engine getting overheated. The next step is to find a safe place to park your car which pulls the excess heat away from the engine. You can do this by turning the dial to the maximum heat. After finding a safe place, shut off the car and wait for the engine to get cool for around 15 minutes.

Watch The Temperature Gauge & Check The Coolant And Radiator:

You need to shut off the car and have a look at the temperature gauge. The temperature should fall to its normal range so wait for it until you see the change. Also, check for the coolant level and add the coolant if it is necessary. On the other hand, check whether the coolant hose is running properly without any blockage. Other issues that you can find include a broken radiator or water pump issues. Check those issues and fix them with the help of a repair person. After checking, you can restart the car engine and continue your drive.

Conclusion:

Whenever you face an engine overheating issue, don’t get panic but think about what to do. Thus, you can read the above blog to know about the causes and prevention measures related to car engine overheating to get some ideas.