Why Is Your Car Overheating?

If you’ve ever had issues with your car overheating , you know how quickly the situation can get out of hand. HRS AutoCare has some suggestions for what might be causing your car to overheat, and some of these are simple fixes. Regardless of what’s causing your car to overheat, you have to act quickly so that your car’s engine doesn’t sustain damage that requires a much bigger repair.

There’s a Leak or a Blockage in the Cooling System

Your car’s cooling system is a series of hoses and other components, like the water pump, heater core, and the radiator. Any of the hoses can develop a hole and the other components can get blocked by debris. When this happens, the cooling system isn’t able to function the way that it’s supposed to and your car starts to overheat. Leaks can be easier to spot than blockages are because there’s generally a puddle under your car.

Your Car Is Low on Coolant

Do you make it a habit to check your coolant levels every now and then? If you’re checking your tire pressure, oil, and battery at least every couple of weeks, add the coolant to your checklist. There should be plenty of coolant in the overflow reservoir. If there isn’t, there likely isn’t enough coolant circulating through the cooling system to keep your car from overheating.

The Thermostat Is Stuck

Your car’s thermostat is a small piece that has a big job. This little part is what opens and closes to let coolant circulate when the car heats up. If the thermostat is stuck, then it may not be opening and therefore coolant isn’t able to move through the system, causing your car to overheat.

The Head Gasket Is Blown

The head gasket is a piece that fits between your car’s engine block and the cylinder head. It’s essential because it keeps the coolant and oil out of the internal combustion process. When that gasket fails, then those parts are no longer sealed and coolant is able to leak into places it shouldn’t be going. The car will overheat almost immediately if the head gasket does fail at any point while you’re driving.

Any time your car is overheating, that’s a big sign that your car has issues that need repair. HRS AutoCare in Nicholasville, KY can help to diagnose the problem and get it corrected so that you can save your car’s engine and get safely back to your daily routine.