Causes of Overheating Engines

Posted June 23, 2016

An overheating engine can be one of the scariest road emergencies a driver experiences. If the temperature gauge skyrockets to the red zone or you see steam coming up from the hood of your car, pull over right away. Allow your vehicle time to cool down before you attempt to drive again, and call our independent auto repair shop at 719.382.5691.

The engine might overheat for a variety of reasons. Common causes of vehicle overheating include:

• Thermostat
  If your car doesn’t know the correct temperature in the engine, it won’t be able to properly regulate the temperature. The thermostat controls the heat in the engine by adjusting according to the temperature. If there is a problem with the temperature reading, the thermostat breaks, or it is stuck in the “closed” position, the engine will overheat quickly.
• Low Coolant
  Coolant runs through the engine to help dissipate the heat from the combustion engine. This fluid flows through the cooling system to keep your engine running at the right temperature. Issues with coolant is the most common cause of a vehicle overheating.
  Leak may occur at any point in the system, but may be found along the hoses, radiator, water pump, head gasket, and cylinder heads. Bring your vehicle in for an inspection to find and fix the leak in the cooling system.
• Broken belt
  Belts control the timing of components inside the engine. The water pump regulates coolant flow based on the belt. Should a belt become worn, loose, or broken, the timing of these operations becomes compromised. When the timing belt breaks in an interference engine, it can even cause thousands of dollars in engine damage!

To accurately diagnose the cause of the engine overheating, have your vehicle inspected by a certified technician, like the ones at our independent auto repair shop in Fountain. Our diagnostic process includes a thorough inspection to identify what went wrong, why it failed, and how to fix and prevent it from happening again.

At the first sign of your engine overheating, pull over and turn off the engine. Especially if the check engine light comes on, continuing to drive can cause further damage. Call our team right away to determine the best course of action and schedule a car inspection: 719.382.5691.

Categories: Auto Repair

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