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An overheated car is a problem that has to be taken care of right away. If you dont take care of this issue, the car will eventually shut down and you could have additional problems. So its best to diagnose an overheating issue as soon as possible and get it fixed. When your car is overheating, there are some fairly obvious symptoms to look for that will tell you its time to bring it in for servicing.
Step 1
Check the temperature gauge on your dashboard, if your vehicle has one. If its well over the midpoint between cold and hot, thats your first clue that your car is overheating.
Step 2
Check for smoke coming from under the hood. A smoking engine is a clear sign that its way too hot.
Step 3
Open your cars heating vents. If the heat coming into the car is hotter and more intense than usual, the engine could be over its usual temperature level.
Step 4
Listen for an unusual knocking or bumping sound under the hood, which could be a symptom of an overheated engine.
Step 5
Check your anti-freeze level. If its very low even though youve just recently filled it up, that could be a reason why the car engine is overheating. It could also be an indication that theres a coolant leak somewhere. As the name indicates, the engine uses coolant to cool itself off--if for some reason coolant isnt getting through the system, that will cause the cars temperature to rise.
Step 6
Lift up your cars hood and turn on the motor. Get back out and listen to your car. If you dont hear or see the radiator fan whirring, that will cause your car to overheat. The fan helps keep your engine cool when youre driving slowly and idling.
Step 7
Check your cars thermostat. A quick way to do so is to open the hood, remove the radiator cap and start your vehicle. If you dont see a sudden drop in the level of coolant in the holder as the car warms up, theres a chance that the thermostat is stuck closed, which can be a cause of an overheating car. Make sure you engage your cars parking brake when you do this test, just in case.
Check the front radiator hose (commonly located right at the front of the car above the radiator). If you see coolant leaking, this will cause your car to overheat since the engine is not getting sufficient fluids to cool itself off. Open up the radiator cap and check inside to see if there is any fluid inside--if not, thats a problem.Check the cylinder head gasket as well to see if coolant is leaking from that area--this is a seal located between the coolant tank and the combustion chamber (see "Resources" for a picture). If the gasket is bad, it will cause an overheating problem.
Tip
- Have your car towed when its overheating. Dont allow it to continue to run while the engine is burning hot to avoid more serious issues.
