Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: What to do if you can stop the car safely
• Method 2 of 2: What to do if you have to keep driving in the car
• Tips
• Warnings

If your car's cooling system isn't working properly, heat can irreparably damage your car's engine. If you notice that the engine is overheating, you can follow the steps in this article to prevent damage to your car and then repair the cooling system.

To step

Method 1 of 2: What to do if you can stop the car safely

1. Pull your car over. When you see the temperature gauge enter the red area (the area marked "H") you need to pull over the car and let the engine cool down. Pay particular attention to the meter on hot days.
   • Stop immediately if steam comes out of your hood. But if you regularly check your meter, it probably doesn't have to go that far.
2. Open the hood to dissipate the heat faster. The hood ensures that the heat is retained. Unlock the hood with the lever (usually located under the steering wheel) and then open the hood. be careful, to open the hood you have to keep your hand close to the radiator cap in most cases, if steam comes out of the cap you run the risk of burning yourself.
3. Do not open the radiator cap (the cap on top of the radiator) when the engine is hot. Doing so can release steam and coolant with great force and cause severe burns.
4. Check the coolant level and top up if necessary. Most modern cars have a plastic coolant reservoir that is connected to the radiator. At this reservoir you can see what the level is. Markers often indicate the required level. If the level is below this level, the engine can overheat. Check that your coolant is at the required level.
   • Add coolant (or water) to the reservoir when the engine is hot. Most cars allow you to add fluid to the reservoir when the engine is hot. Check the owner's manual to be sure, or wait for the car to cool down if necessary.
   • If your car does not have a reservoir, just a cap radiator, then you should wait for the engine to cool before checking the level.
5. Check the cooling system for leaks. If you see damage to your radiator or cylinder head, or if you open the coolant reservoir and the level has been topped up, you may have a leak in your cooling system. If you are experienced with automobiles, check the radiator, spark plugs in the engine block, or the cylinder head next to the gasket for signs of leakage.
   • If you don't know about cars, consider taking your car to the nearest garage and ask them to measure the pressure of the cooling system. This is relatively easy, it could even be that the garage does it for you for free.
6. Decide whether to drive or get help. If there was not enough coolant in the car and you topped it up, you may be able to continue driving. Follow the instructions in the section below to minimize the risk of overheating if you decide to start driving again.
   • If it turns out that there is no coolant at all, you should stop driving. You will then irreparably damage your engine.
   • In many cases it is better to call the roadside assistance than to continue driving.
   • If for some reason it is not possible to call emergency services or if you are in an unsafe place, you may need to start driving again to fix the problems. Read the section below to learn what to do if it does.

Method 2 of 2: What to do if you have to keep driving in the car

1. Turn off the air conditioner. Air conditioning takes a lot out of the engine, so if you had the air conditioning on, turn it off.
2. Use the blower to disperse the heat from the engine. It may sound strange, but it really works. Turn on the blower hard and set the temperature as high as possible. If it is warm outside, it will get much warmer inside. As much as possible, direct the grids outwards with the windows open, so that the heat can escape.
   • Why this works: The heater in your car uses the heat from the engine to warm the air in the cabin. If you turn the heating on to the highest setting, it will cool the motor because the heat is directed to the blower.
3. Keep a close eye on the temperature gauge. If there is no other option, pull the car over and turn off the engine. Again, overheating can damage your engine.
4. Turn your engine off (under certain circumstances), but turn the ignition switch back to the ignition position after the engine has stopped. The engine will shut off, but the blower will continue to disperse heat in the cabin. Only do this if you are standing still in a traffic jam or if you have been at a traffic light for more than a minute. Keep a close eye on when the cars in front of you start driving again and turn your engine back on in time.
5. Maintain a steady pace in slow-moving traffic. It is better to keep driving slowly than to stop and go fast again. The engine will have more difficulty stopping and accelerating and more heat will be produced as a result.
   • People aren't going to cut you off quickly in slow-moving traffic because everyone is in the same boat. In any case, it is better to worry about the temperature of the cooling system than whether you are being cut.
6. Try the following trick to draw more air through the radiator. If you have a belt-driven radiator fan (usually the case with rear-wheel and four-wheel drive cars) and you are stuck in a traffic jam, put the car in neutral and slightly depress your accelerator until you reach 2000 rpm. Maintain this speed for about a minute. Doing this will make the water pump and radiator fan run faster. More air is then drawn through the radiator, causing more heat to dissipate. If you have a car with electric fans (usually the case with front-wheel drive cars) this method will not work.
7. Wait until rush hour is over. If you think the engine will get too hot in a traffic jam or slow-moving traffic, you may want to pull over, turn off the engine, and wait for traffic to resume. The faster you drive, the better, because then more air will enter and the engine will cool down faster.

Tips

• If your car leaks coolant, you will always have to top it up. Then regularly stop at places where you can take water, such as a gas station.
• If your engine has overheated because you drove up a steep mountain, or because you have a heavy caravan behind the car, it is best to put the car aside and wait for the engine to cool.
• Replace the coolant reservoir cap after eight years. Often a car loses coolant because the cap cannot handle enough pressure anymore. A new cap costs next to nothing.
• Take your car to the garage as soon as possible. The above steps work well when you are in trouble, but they are not permanent solutions.
• Always use coolant and not water if necessary. Water can only be used in emergency situations, if the problem is then solved, the system must be drained and refilled with coolant.
• If you are in slow-moving traffic you can unlock your hood. The bonnet then remains closed due to the safety catch, but because the hood is opened a little bit, more heat can escape. At higher speeds, the hood must be closed again at all times.
• If the drive belt of the water pump or fan has disappeared, you can try replacing it with tights. Wrap and tie the tights around the pulley as often as possible. This solution will not last long, but it may be enough to drive a few miles to a garage. Do not rev too much, then there will be less tension on the temporary belt. This trick also works with the dynamo, but then the tights will wear out even faster.
• In extreme cases, the engine will continue to run after you turn the ignition key. This can happen when the engine is so hot that ignition takes place without any electrical sparks. In this case, apply the handbrake and put the car into gear. The engine will then stall.
• You cannot continue driving without the water pump's drive belt, as the engine will quickly overheat.

Warnings

• Never use cold water if you are using water to get the liquid level up. If the cold water comes into contact with the heated engine, your engine block could burst open. Only use water that is at room temperature.
• Never unscrew the radiator cap on an overheated engine. That can lead to serious burns. Wait for the engine to cool.