Why Is My Car Overheating?

It's incredible how much temperature plays a part in your vehicle's performance and reliability. If components break down or leak coolant, you'll very quickly face one of the automobile's most common dilemmas: overheating. A hot car can be a good thing or a bad thing. If it's hot in the sense that it's attractive, that's great. If it's "hot" under the collar and components are burning up, grinding your ride to a halt, that's the worst of things. Here are the most common causes of hot under the hood cars.

Faulty Water Pump

This is one of the most dangerous causes of overheating. A water pump circulates coolant throughout your engine block. If it malfunctions and can't do this, every part of your engine is quickly in danger. Overheating will be one of your first signs that your water pump is going bad or is bad. If you neglect this problem, you can lose your head gasket and even face burned pistons. If you suspect a faulty water pump, there's no time to waste in setting up an appointment with a professional mechanic.

Defective Thermostat

To regulate the heat in your engine and other components, your thermostat must accurately report the temperature. If the thermostat breaks and suddenly your vehicle doesn't realize how hot it is, overheating is possible.

Radiator

Since a radiator is responsible for taking internal heat and removing it from the air outside, a broken radiator will often be the enemy behind your overheating car. If the radiator or its components are broken, coolant will often leak out, showing low coolant warnings and eventual overheating.

Bad Belts/Hoses

Belts are often used in many various components of your vehicle to keep things in rotation. If a belt snaps altogether, everything grinds to a halt, leaving friction to build up heat. Overheating is a result. Hoses usually hold some coolant, so if they're leaking or not working, you're in trouble and running low on coolant.

Leaks in the Cooling System

Your cooling system is precisely what it says it is. Overheating is a certainty if it can't properly store and deliver coolant to your vehicle's vulnerable components. Check readouts on your coolant and look for warning signs that your vehicle's cooling system is on the blitz. A sugary sweet smell outside your car is one sign of a coolant system problem.

If your vehicle is overheating and doesn't know why, don't wait for another second longer. Get in touch with our professionals here at our dealership. We'll investigate, repair, and send your vehicle on its way (much cooler and healthier than it arrived to us).