How to keep your car cool in the heat
WITH the current heat wave it’s inevitable that some of us will have to deal with a car overheating, especially with older vehicles. Les Mc Master from the Motor Industry Workshop Association offers some tips on how to handle the situation:
The two most common reasons for overheating are low water and coolant levels in the radiator or a leak in the cooling system, so it’s important to check the coolant level. If you aren’t sure where to look for the reservoir, check your owner’s manual. If the level is normal, you might just have a malfunctioning temperature gauge. However, if it’s low or empty there’s probably a coolant leak. In that case it’s recommended you call roadside assistance.
If you have to keep driving, make sure the engine is cool, and protect your hand with a glove or a rag, then twist off the radiator cap. Refill both the radiator and the reservoir, using coolant or if necessary, water. This should bring the temperature down once you’re underway, but stay vigilant as you most probably have a serious leak somewhere.
If the temperature starts rising again, pull over and repeat the process. But this is by no means a long term solution so get to an accredited workshop as soon as possible.
To prevent overheating, regularly check that your car has fresh coolant in its radiator, not just water, and also have the radiator checked for corrosion. Even a well-tuned car may start to sizzle in hot conditions, particularly in stopand-go traffic or when climbing a steep incline.
The first sign that your car is overheating will be your dashboard temperature indicator starting to rise or a malfunction indicator coming on. The first thing you need to do is shut off the air conditioner and open the windows. This will help lessen the load on the engine and help it cool off. Although it sounds odd, it will also help to turn on the heater as this draws excess heat from the engine.
If you’re in heavy traffic when this happens, shift into Neutral or Park and rev the engine just a little. This will make the water pump and fan speed up, drawing more liquid and air through the radiator. The increased air and liquid circulation helps cool the engine off.
Brake drag also increases the load on the engine making it heat up. If you are in traffic, rather crawl along slowly on little more than idle, than accelerate and brake repeatedly. Or accelerate only when the gap between you and the vehicle in front of you gets too large.
The most serious indication that your car has already overheated is when the needle hits the red zone or you see steam coming from the engine. If this is the case, immediately find a safe place to stop, pull over and turn off the engine. Just pulling over but still idling the engine is not enough. Engines work harder to keep cool at idle than at cruising speed, so turn it off as soon as you can.
Ideally you should then open the bonnet and wait for at least half an hour for the engine to cool off. However be very careful when doing so, as it will be extremely hot underneath and you may need to wait for it to cool off a little first. Only then is it safe to check the coolant level.