![]() ![]() DO carefully restart the engine (if your car isn’t being towed).A quick top-off could help protect your engine from further damage. DO add radiator fluid (if you have it).You need to get your car to a repair shop, so call a friend or a tow truck. ![]() Keep an eye on the gauge (if equipped), waiting until it moves back to the normal range. DO allow the engine to cool for at least 15 minutes.DO find a safe place to pull over and shut off the engine.Huh? Crank the heat? Yes! This will help divert heat away from the engine. This will help reduce stress on the engine and cooling system. DO Immediately turn off the air conditioner.Uh-oh! It’s happened! Now what? Here’s your step-by-step game plan of what to do: THE DOS AND DON’TS OF WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CAR OVERHEATS An illuminated “Check Engine” or “Temperature” light on your instrument cluster.The engine temperature gauge needle spikes to H (“hot”) or moves into the red (symbols may vary, so check your owner’s manual to familiarize yourself with your vehicle’s temperature gauge).Steam that may look like smoke coming from under the hood.A strange, sweet smell coming from the engine area (this could be the scent of leaking radiator fluid, otherwise known as coolant or antifreeze).KNOW WHAT TO WATCH FORĮngines often let drivers know they’re about to overheat. It’s important for your safety - and to help prevent the damage of an overheated engine - to take the proper precautions. You don’t want to look back on a hot summer day when you were stranded in a car that overheated! IT’S POSSIBLE FOR ANY CAR TO OVERHEAT, SO IT PAYS TO BE PREPARED You want to make happy memories of picnics, days at the beach, and long, carefree drives. ![]() If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.School’s out, the sun is bright and the open road is calling you and your family. To get all this resolved, just simply request an engine overheating diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will repair the leak, check to be sure there are no unaddressed causes, and ultimately get the car running for you. Certain engine faults, such as a leaking head gasket or poor engine running condition can also cause overheating. The most common causes of overheating include low coolant level (including that due to sudden large leaks), a faulty thermostat, a plugged radiator, a faulty radiator pressure cap, collapsed hoses, non functioning cooling fans, and a faulty water pump or drive belt. Overheating can warp the cylinder head and/or engine block, which can cause a failure to start due to loss of compression, valve damage and so forth. You can’t run and test an engine, other than VERY momentarily, without an intact cooling system. In your circumstance, you appear to have the additional problem that the car won’t start but that will be diagnosed and resolved after the mechanic restores the cooling system. If the thermostat is damaged, and left in place, that can set the stage for future cooling system problems. In all events, in addition to repairing the leak, and making sure that the CAUSE of the overheating is fully identified and resolved, you may have to replace your engine cooling thermostat as well because episodes of overheating can actually damage the thermostat. Therefore, once the leak is repaired, your vehicle will still have to be tested to make sure that there are no other causes of overheating, other than perhaps just the leak you experienced. Please note that coolant leaks can be either a cause or a CONSEQUENCE of overheating. Based on your description the engine was overheating and the overheating was accompanied by a large coolant leak. ![]()
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