Reasons Your Car Is Overheated

Car overheating is a common problem many drivers around the world. People experience this every day, and not everybody is a car mechanic. You’ll find most people don’t know why it happens or what to do about it. Here are a few reasons as to why it happens in the first place.

Engine overheating 

Car overheating happens when the engine overheats, simply put. A known, regular cause of Engine overheating to date is a cooling system leak that happens. Air enters the cooling system due to an unforeseen puncture, and when the coolant of the vehicle drips, it makes room for the air to get stuck inside. An air bubble or known as an airlock takes form at the top part of the cooling system, and because of this, the coolant. This keeps the system cool, can’t get through because of the airlock blockage created, thus the engine becomes hot and overheats. 

Condensed coolant

Most drivers who live in countries with cold weather struggle with something called ‘Condensed coolant’ whereby the coolant becomes concentrated and causes blockages; this is another cause for the engine to overheat. Experts have always advised owners of cars to purchase good quality coolant to avoid this problem.

Higher quality coolant has a better chance at not causing this problem than cheaper, poorer quality, spoiling the radiator of the vehicle. Matter of fact, a bad radiator caused by these clogs in the system disrupts the performance of your radiator. This is a very important part of the car. When the radiator is damaged it fails to carry out its function of getting rid of the heat from the cooling system, this problem causes engine overheating. 

Good quality coolant is better, sometimes people just use water which is not always recommended but fine. However it lacks antifreeze which is part of the percentage (%) make up of the coolant, the other being water. Antifreeze keeps the water in the mixture from freezing in temperatures that are low. Within the car is a water pump, this pump pumps the coolant throughout the engine, kind of like how the heart pumps the blood in a human body, where high temperatures are kept low. So if the water pump is damaged or not functioning properly, it can create an unresponsive flow of coolant causing engine overheating. 

Fan radiator

A car radiator has within it different components that play out specific roles, one primary component is the fan of the radiator. The fan directs air across the radiator to reduce the temperature of the flowing coolant, which heats up. So when the radiator fan is old it should be regularly checked for any broken parts, such as the clutch and motor of the fan especially. These are vital parts that prevent the temperature from getting too high and causing overheating. It’s important to note that radiators are very sensitive and should always be perfect for the sake of the car functioning properly.  

Damaged hose

A bad hose or pipe can lead to the engine overheating, the coolant moves through the pipe between the car engine and the car radiator. A hose pipe should always be checked for any cracks, cuts, or damages. Because even if the pipe is not properly tied, it can become loose and cause the coolant to leak out, thus causing engine overheating. Belts should also always be checked, sometimes they can be damaged. These belts work by maintaining a correct or fair amount of coolant to flow, when the belts are broken for example, they fail to maintain that specific volume causing engine overheating. The most sensitive of these belts is the water pump belt; they should always be in tip top shape. 

Broken thermostat

The cooling system also has a thermostat, which makes sure that the coolant passes through to the radiator. Thermostats open and close only when coolant is required to pass through to the radiator. A bad thermostat probably means that it’s not opening or closing properly. Therefore, when coolant is trying to pass through but the thermostat is closed, refusing to open, the engine overheats. Coolant that doesn’t pass only gets stuck and overheats, and overheats until the engine can’t take it anymore. Every day the car engine needs to be warmed up, after which then the coolant is allowed to pass through and the car ready to operate. Always check the thermostats to ensure they are in good condition. 

Precautions

Whenever you find yourself in a situation where the vehicle is overheating, there are always some precautions you can take until you are able to get it to a mechanic. 

• Always check the temperature gauge.
• Always ensure that it’s not showing hot. If it is, means you’re having an overheating problem that needs immediate check up. If you see any signs of smoke coming out from under the hood of the car, it means the problem is very serious. 
• Turning off the A/C (Car Air Conditioner).
• Roll down the windows to keep the inside of the car cool.
• You can put the car on Neutral (N) or Park (P), if stopped. Then rev the engine to help get the coolant circulating, but never too much. If you’re moving, move slowly and keep the car on the lowest gear. 
• Better to park the car off the road. Then switch it off and call a breakdown service for any help to tow the car. 

Always try to avoid these issues by doing regular services for your car. Usually after every 6 months just like going to the dentist. The minimum recommendation is doing a dentist check up every 6 months, (twice a year). The same goes for your car, up to 7 months is also fine. Make sure at every service, the car is checked by an expert to look for any bad signs in your cooling system. During a regular car service, the coolant is always changed. So always make sure that it’s done by the mechanic during the service.