Can You Keep Driving When the Radiator Overheats?
2 Answers
You should not continue driving when the radiator overheats. Find a safe place to pull over, but do not turn off the engine immediately. Let the engine idle to continue dissipating heat, and open the hood to speed up the cooling process. Do not open the radiator cap to avoid being scalded by hot liquid that may spray out. When the engine is overheated, do not pour water on the engine block or cylinder head, as this can cause the block to crack. After allowing some time for cooling, turn off the engine once the water temperature drops to a suitable level. Reasons for radiator overheating include: 1. Radiator leakage or insufficient coolant, preventing the engine heat from dissipating and the temperature from lowering in time; 2. Deteriorated coolant with reduced boiling point, affecting its cooling performance.
Last time I was driving on the highway, a red thermometer icon suddenly appeared on the dashboard, and I immediately knew something was wrong. The temperature gauge needle was almost hitting the red line—under no circumstances should you continue driving in this situation. Engine overheating can not only damage the cylinder head gasket but in severe cases, may also cause the pistons to seize in the cylinders, leading to total engine failure. I immediately turned on the hazard lights and pulled over. Even after turning off the engine, white vapor was still coming out from under the hood. I waited 20 minutes for the engine to cool down naturally before daring to check the coolant, only to find a cracked hose leaking. In the end, I had no choice but to call for a tow. Remember, when the coolant temperature warning light comes on, it's like your body running a high fever—forcing the car to keep driving might result in repair costs that could buy half a new car.
