Things to Do when the Engine Overheats

Engine overheating may not be as common a sight these days as it used to be a few years back, thanks to the highly advanced technologies that modern automobile engineering employs, but it can still prove to be a source of great inconvenience for owners of even the most high-tech vehicles when factors like extremely hot weather, an exceptionally steep climb or prolonged traffic jams are involved. For situations like these, when the engine of the car boils up and steam starts billowing from under the bonnet, here are some very useful tips that can help restore the engine to its former cool self without letting things get any worse.

Turn the AC off

The very first step that should be taken as soon as engine overheating is detected is turning the air conditioning off and rolling the window screens down. A car’s air conditioning unit exerts a lot of pressure on the engine; shutting it down helps reduce some of that pressure and allows the engine to cool down.

Turn the Heater on

If turning the air conditioning off does not prove to be very effective by itself, it can be augmented by turning the car’s heating unit to full strength. This would help transfer the excessive heat from the engine compartment to the passengers’ cabin, thereby bringing the engine temperature down considerably and quickly. However, this is bound to make the ride quite uncomfortable for the passengers, especially during the summer season, so it would be better if the heater vents are pointed towards the open windows in such situations.

When Stuck in a Traffic Jam

Long traffic jams, particularly on a hot summer day, are ideal for automobile engine heat up. The never-ending series of sudden braking followed by quick rev-ups that such crawling traffic conditions tend to trigger can prove to be very exhausting even for the most finely tuned engines, resulting in overheating. Whenever that happens, the first thing that needs to be done is to shift in Neutral or Park and rev the engine slightly (2500 to 3000rpm); this will speed up the fan and water pump which, in turn, will improve the cooling process.

Another thing that a driver needs to keep in mind in such cases is to go with a steady slow pace in an almost idle mode, moving only when the distance from the car ahead of them is sufficiently large, instead of continuing with the short move-ups and sudden braking style of driving. This way, they would be able to ease the strain on the engine that results from brake drag.

If the Problem Persists

If, even after adopting all these measures, the engine temperature refuses to drop, there is no option left except for driving to the side of the road, shutting the engine off and waiting for it to cool down. To speed up the process, the hood of the car can be lifted up and locked in position so as to facilitate better dissipation of heat.

However, extreme care needs to be taken while doing so otherwise it may result in serious steam burns. First and foremost, the bonnet should never be lifted with bare hands because engine heating is bound to make it extremely hot; using a thick towel for the purpose is a much safer alternative. Secondly, one should always make sure that while lifting the hood up we remain as far away from it as possible so as to avoid direct contact with the steam emanating from under it. In situations where the heating gets too bad, it is advised that the bonnet should be opened just a wink at first, being raised completely only when the engine has cooled down significantly.

Once the Hood has been Lifted

Once the hood has been lifted and the steam has dissipated to safe levels, people usually go for the radiator cap, thinking of adding some water in the radiator in order to cool the engine down. However, before doing so, there are a number of important things that need to borne in mind:

The radiator lid should never be removed with bare hands as it is bound to be exceedingly hot due to all the steam that had been surrounding it; a thick towel can come in handy here.

Water should not be poured into the radiator unless it cools down completely.

If the water must be added while the engine is still hot, it must be ensured that the water is slightly warm and not absolutely cold otherwise the thermal stress generated can crack the engine block, damaging it severely.

Also, while adding water to a warm engine, the driver needs to make sure that the water is added slowly and deliberately, keeping the engine on in Park or Neutral.

Check the Coolant Level

A drop in coolant level below the manufacturer recommended mark is also a very common reason for engine overheating in automobiles. A simple enough way of checking that is to open the cap of the coolant reservoir (using a towel) under the hood (user’s guide should be used if the driver is not aware of what a coolant reservoir looks like) and see whether the fluid in there is visible or not. If not, then the car is most certainly depleted of coolant and a refill is required. Some reservoirs even come with specific markings that indicate proper levels of coolant that need to be maintained to avoid overheating, which can be used to check if the coolant level has fallen below the recommended mark.

To avoid getting stuck when such situations arise, keeping a supplementary can of coolant in the car at all times is heavily advised by auto-experts. However, in case the user has any doubts regarding the refill process, it is best to seek the help of a professional instead of trying to guess one’s way around the problem, eventually ending up with an even bigger problem.

Check the Hoses

If the coolant level in the reservoir has not dropped below the prescribed mark, there might be some problem with the hoses that may have resulted in the excessive heating. In that case, the upper and lower radiator hoses together with the other heater hoses need to be checked for possible blockages, detachments or damages.

If any of them is found disconnected, simply re-attaching it would serve the purpose for the time being, but replacement of the old hose with a new one is necessary to avoid any further problems. In case a blockage of some sort can be noticed by looking through a hose, blowing or even running water through it might clear the hose enough to travel over a short distance (like, to a service station).

After Getting back in the Car

Once the engine has cooled down properly and it seems safe to restart the engine, the car should immediately be taken to the nearest service station for a proper check. While driving, practices like sudden braking and speeding should be avoided to keep the load on the engine as low as possible. Also, a constant eye should be maintained on the temperature gauge and in case the needle threatens to cross the optimal mark, it is best to pull over to the side of the road, shut the engine off and get the car towed to a service centre.