As the temperatures rise, so do the chances that your car will overheat this summer. If you find your car overheating, here are some steps you can take to ensure you reduce the amount of damage a hot engine can do.
Blast your heater
When you notice that your engine is starting to get too hot, immediately turn on your heater, even if it’s hot outside. Doing so helps drains heat from the engine, buying you time to find a safe place to pull over.
Pull over
Look for a safe place well off the road to stop and turn off your car’s engine.
Let the engine cool
Engines typically take at least a half hour to an hour to cool down. In that time, you should call for roadside assistance to get a tow truck, if you think you need one.
Lift the hood — safely
Once you’re stopped, you can lift the hood to see what’s going on — but wait until the engine temperature gauge goes back to normal and there’s no steam coming out. Don’t remove the hot radiator cap, because it might cause coolant and steam to erupt from the radiator and burn your hands. Also, don’t add cold water to an overheated engine because it can cause damage.
Check your coolant
Under your hood, there should be a translucent plastic tank located under the hood near the radiator. If it’s empty, then you might have a leak.
If you’re experiencing any problems with overheating, we’re here to help at Downtown AutoGroup in Toronto. Our service department will check your vehicle carefully and make sure that the problem is fixed so you can be on your way.