When Your Car Overheats

What to Do If Your Car Overheats 

When smoke starts to billow out of the front of your vehicle, it’s easy to panic. This likely means that your model is overheating, but if you know how to handle the situation, you have a better chance of making sure that your model makes it out of the situation unscathed. If you need professional service near Gilmer, Tyler, or Longview, head to Stanley Ford Gilmer, where our mechanics can fix the problem.

How Does Your Model Deal with Heat?

Your model deals with heat in various ways, but when one of its systems is compromised, you’re almost certainly going to have a problem on your hands. Preventative maintenance can help solve these common issues.

• A Lack of Coolant or Cooling Water: Your cooling system only works when it has a steady supply of coolant to begin with. You’ll want to make sure that you aren’t running low before you go on any trips. 
• A Lack of Oil: Oil is the lifeblood of your engine, and while it’s incredibly important for lubrication, it also helps divert heat, too. You’ll need to make sure that you regularly change it.
• Bad Fans: Your model likely has a cooling fan, which helps it cool off once you shut your vehicle off. If it’s not running, your engine is going to stay hot for longer periods of time.

Know the Signs of Overheating

If you’re worried about your vehicle overheating, it’s important that you’re familiar with all the tell-tale signs. This can help you quickly diagnose the problem so that you can save your engine. 

• Check the Dashboard: Your dashboard is full of what essentially amounts to warning signs. If you notice the check engine light or the temperature light, you might be in trouble.
• Check the Temperature Gauge: This will give you a direct understanding of where your vehicle is currently at. If the temperature gauge is high, you’ll want to pay attention.
• Watch for Smoke: Smoke is a surefire sign that your engine is experiencing extreme temperatures, and you’ll want to pull over as soon as you possibly can if you notice it.
• Look for a Sweet Smell: You may notice that your model is putting out an odd, sweet smell. While this might seem nice, it’s actually the smell of your coolant leaking away.

Taking Action

When your model overheats, you’ll need to know what to do next.

• Use Your Phone: In the heat of the moment, you might forget that you can easily call for help from a friend, a family member, or a professional. 
• Don’t Open the Hood: Your hood should stay closed until your model cools down. You’ll want to avoid messing with it, as you could accidentally burn yourself and anyone else nearby.
• Watch Your A/C: You’ll need to immediately turn your A/C off before cranking the heat up. This gives you the best chance of cooling down your engine.
• Get to a Safe Place: It’s not always safe to pull over on the side of the road. You’ll want to be sure that you’re in a safe area where you can turn your vehicle off.