5:00 pm and you’re headed home from work. All of the sudden you notice your heat gauge is pushing into the red line with steam coming out from your engine. Amongst your panic… your only question, what should you do? There’s little else that can make a driver feel as helpless as an overheating car. There are actions you can and should take to protect you, your family and your vehicle to get you safely to your destination.
Lighten the Burden
It’s pretty intuitive to try to take it a little easier on your overworked car. Start by shutting off the air and rolling down the windows instead. Your AC takes a lot to run. Lighten the burden just a bit by turning off the non-essentials. When you come to a stop, especially in stop-n-go traffic, your car is not getting the air circulation that the wind supplies. Instead of just sitting, put your car in park and rev the engine just a bit, this can be tricky, so make sure your car is in park! This will get the fan running a little faster and the air moving again.
Stop, Prop, and Call
Ultimately, you need to pull over to the side of the road to let the car cool down. Always go to a safe place and then prop your hood open. The cooler air will help the engine chill out. Avoid touching the engine or anything close to it. There’s a lot of danger under the hood, especially with an overheating motor. You are going to need someone with a professional hand to help.
If you have a European car that’s overheating it’s particularly important that you contact a foreign automobile repair specialist. The technician at Desert Oasis European Auto Service and Repair are the experts you’re seeking. They have the factory parts and the trained technicians who will treat your car as well as you do.
Prevention is the Best Cure
The best way to deal with an overheating car is to never have one. Regular oil changes and having the fluid levels in your radiator checked are key ways to keep your motor healthy and cool. Sometimes the overheating problem may lie in the thermostat, the belts or the electronics of the car. Professionals are your best bet for any type of work with those issues.
Overall, a hot car is a dangerous car. You need to act immediately and with care. It’s not something to gloss over and wait for it to pass. Every minute you’re driving a hot car, you may be doing permanent damage to your vehicle! Call (702) 255-4090 for Desert Oasis European Auto Service to help you and your car stay cool.
