Why Is My Engine Overheating?
August 7, 2018
When your car overheats, it’s a stomach-turning experience. You can’t keep driving; you’re stranded until it cools down. Worse, you don’t know that it won’t overheat again, and you may not even be sure what caused the problem. Here’s a look at a few reasons why you might experience car engine overheating, and what you can do about the problem.
Coolant Levels
This is the single most common reason for engine overheating. Your car needs enough coolant to cycle through the engine and ensure that everything operates smoothly. If your levels are low, there’s not enough coolant to carry the heat away. This makes heat and friction build up in the engine, and the car overheats. If your car is running hot, check those coolant levels and fill it up if need be!
Fan Failure
If your coolant fan isn’t working right, the engine will get hot. This fan pulls air in through the radiator and blows it across the engine to keep the temperature down. You could have a bad fan motor which is causing the device to not work, or your radiator fan switch could have gone bad. This switch tells the fan when to kick on and off, and if it’s not working right, the fan won’t function either.
Thermostat Problems
Your car’s coolant system is a complex system comprised of a lot of elements. One of the most important is the thermostat. This device opens up to allow coolant to flow through your system when the engine gets hot, and keeps it running. If you notice your car overheating when you’re on the highway, this could be a thermostat problem.
Fan Belt
Even with the newest technology out there, tons of cars on the road still use a belt to drive the cooling fan in the engine. When the belt wears down, stretches out or breaks, the fan doesn’t work properly. This belt should be clearly visible around the fan, so you’ll know if you have one. While electric fans are all the rage these days, replacing a fan belt can be less expensive than repairing an electrical system, so that might be good news!
Radiator Problem
In mid- to high-mileage cars (over 50,000 miles), radiator problems can crop up. Either the system can develop a leak due to a crack or bad coolant lines, or it can simply get clogged up with gunk. Flushing your radiator every so often can help keep it in good working condition. If the worst happens, you may need a new radiator.
What to Do
If your car is overheating, don’t take it lightly. It means there’s something very wrong and if you don’t get it addressed, it can lead to much more serious problems down the line, including your whole engine breaking down. Get to a qualified auto repair shop to have the problem diagnosed and repaired.
If you looking for a Auto Repair Mechanic in the Cumming-Alpharetta area, we can help. Get in touch with us today for a diagnosis and repair.