How far can a BMW drive with an overheated engine?
2 Answers
Engine overheating means you should not continue driving. Causes of engine overheating in a car include radiator leaks, cooling fan failure, insufficient coolant, thermostat failure, etc. An overheated engine will display a red thermometer symbol on the dashboard. When the water temperature warning light comes on, the correct actions are as follows: 1. Idle and park: Do not turn off the engine, open the hood, turn on the heater to dissipate heat as quickly as possible, and if possible, park the car in a shaded area. 2. Check: Inspect the radiator hoses for leaks, then check if the coolant is sufficient. If no coolant is available in the car, you can temporarily use mineral water as a substitute, but remember to replace it with new coolant afterward. 3. Coolant: Do not add coolant immediately. As physics teaches us, heat causes expansion and cold causes contraction. Boiling water in a sealed container generates pressure. If you open the radiator cap immediately after the water boils, the internal pressure can cause the hot water to spray out, potentially causing burns.
Last time I drove an old BMW 3 Series and encountered the temperature gauge maxing out in the red, so I quickly pulled over and turned off the engine. With German cars, once the engine temperature exceeds the limit, the problems become serious—aluminum cylinder heads can easily warp under high heat, and a blown head gasket can cost over ten thousand to repair. I’ve personally seen someone push it for three kilometers, only to end up with a 46,000-yuan engine overhaul. My advice: immediately turn on the hazard lights, stop the car, and call your insurance company for a free tow. If you absolutely must move the car, remember to turn the heater to maximum fan speed (even though it’s hot)—this can help cool the engine, but you should stop after moving just a few hundred meters at most.
