A car breakdown can be a frightening thing to experience. Luckily, there are many signs you can pay attention to which will help you make the best of the situation and avoid emergencies like being stranded on the side of the road.
How Does My Car's Cooling System Work?
The processes that make your car drive produce a lot of heat, and this is exactly why your car's cooling system is so crucial to staying on the road. When there's too much heat trapped around your car's engine, it can result in reduced function or even leave you stranded.
To alleviate this situation, your car's cooling system pushes the hot air away from the engine and into the surrounding environment. If your car's cooling system isn't functioning properly, you may quickly run into issues as your car overheats and even experiences engine failure.
Why Do Cars Overheat?
Cars can overheat for a variety of reasons, including internal issues like a poorly functioning water pump or a broken thermostat, or external issues like prolonged idling or a long time spent still in heavy traffic.
These stressful situations can result in your car not being able to move enough coolant from the engine to the radiator. In some cases, a leak can cause this issue as well. If your car is leaking, you'll notice an antifreeze odor and green puddles under your car.
How To Prevent Your Car From Overheating
If you're worried about your car overheating, you can apply many strategies to prevent this situation. For example, if you notice that your car is running hotter than usual, you can turn off features like the air conditioner that may be further straining your engine. You can also consider turning on the heater to draw heat away from the engine, and keep an eye on your coolant to ensure that there's always enough to keep the engine cool.
The best way to prevent your car from overheating is proactive maintenance, and our skilled technicians can help. If you don't know why your car is overheating and you need cooling system repair, we invite you to bring your car to The Car Guys today!