Serious Risk of Overheating

The only thing hotter than the Las Vegas heat during the summer is how hot your vehicle gets after driving. The key to your vehicle not overheating is having a cooling system that is does its job properly. There are an assortment of different parts that take your coolant and run it through the engine to keep it from getting far too hot. When we neglect the maintenance of our vehicles, it leads to some pretty costly repairs, and being stranded out in the excessive heat.

Las Vegas is considered an area with “extreme weather conditions.” It is of the utmost importance to ensure that you’re maintaining your vehicle properly. The heat in the city can cause a variety of different problems.  The car parts made of rubber will expand when the weather heats up. Tires, hoses,  belts and seals are also prone to dry rot that can break at any given time and cause you unexpected problems.Other regions of the US don’t have to worry about the same problems as the residents of Las Vegas. It’s the dry heat unique to the Southwest that takes a toll on much quicker than it would in other areas.  Have  your vehicle thoroughly checked out by Desert Oasis Auto Repair to ensure that it’s ready for the severe heat.

One of the most common problems that causes overheating issues in Las Vegas comes from a faulty water pump. The water pump is designed to help move your coolant throughout the vehicle. Without a water pump, your engine block wouldn’t receive the coolant it needs. Although the water pump is typically made of a strong metal, it can also be severely affected by the desert heat in the summer through expansion and retraction due to weather fluctuation.The water pump has a seal to keep fluid in and circulating properly. When the seal dries out, it can break, which leads to low coolant levels and an inefficient cooling system. There always needs to be a specific amount of coolant running through your system in order for it to do its job properly. Even the smallest leak can lead to a big problem with your engine.

The most important part of the cooling system is ensuring that the engine doesn’t get too hot. Your car’s engine heats up while it runs. Pistons move up and down, fuel combusts, and camshafts turn…also heating up as they move.  When they aren’t being cooled properly, your vehicle can blow a cylinder head gasket.  If the internal parts of your engine aren’t cooled down, they can bend, crack and melt, leading to a complete engine overhaul or replacement.

The best way to prevent problems with your water pump is preventative maintenance. Talk to a mechanic rather than settling for what the owner’s manual says, because our climate is much different than most other cities. Our qualified auto repair shop will let you know exactly when the coolant should be replaced and will do a thorough inspection to rule out any signs of a leak.Even if you don’t rack up high mileage, it’s important to have your coolant checked on a regular basis. The heat of the desert can cause the viscosity of the fluid to change or get dirty without you even realizing it. Always be sure to have your maintenance done before, during and after the summer so you can have some peace of mind that your vehicle is in good condition.