Figuring out what’s causing your car to overheat is crucial because heat does incredible damage to your car’s engine. SpringMasters Auto Repair has these suggestions for possible causes of engine overheating in your car.
Low Coolant Levels
When your car’s engine doesn’t have enough coolant helping it to stay cool, it’s definitely going to get too hot. It’s easy to check your coolant levels. Pop the hood and look at the reservoir for the coolant. They’re usually almost see-through, so it’s easy to see if the coolant is low or not. If you need to add some, make sure you add enough to get up to the line on the side of the reservoir.
Engine Oil Needs Changing
When did you last get an oil change? Double check the mileage and how long it’s been since the last oil change. It’s also a good idea to check your oil yourself. Even if it’s not technically time for the oil to be changed, there are factors that can mean you need to get an oil change sooner than expected. And if the car is overheating, old or not enough oil can be part of the reason.
Catastrophic Failure with the Head Gasket
If the car overheated immediately and pegged out at the highest temperature reading, you might have lost the head gasket. This is a seal that sits between the engine block and the cylinder head. If that seal fails, there’s no way to really correct the problem once the engine has overheated to that extent. In fact, the entire engine might need to be replaced.
Issues in the Cooling System
There’s more to the cooling system than just the coolant. If there are any issues elsewhere in that system, you can very quickly find your car overheating. Hoses, seals, and other components, like the radiator, can all fail or have issues. That then makes it far more difficult for coolant to circulate properly and it can’t do its job. Getting the cooling system checked periodically can help find some of these problems before they get out of hand.
Not sure what’s causing your car’s engine to overheat? Don’t guess about it. Call SpringMasters Auto Repair in Stickney, IL today and set up an appointment for us to take a closer look. We’ll help you to determine what’s going on so that you can safely enjoy driving your car for a long time to come.
