How to Deal with Engine Overheating?
2 Answers
Here are the steps to handle engine overheating: 1. Safely drive the vehicle off the road and park in a safe location. Set the transmission to "P" gear and apply the parking brake. Turn on the hazard warning lights. If the air conditioning is in use, turn it off. 2. If steam is escaping from the gaps in the engine hood, open the hood while keeping the engine running. 3. Check whether the radiator fan is operating normally. 4. After the temperature gauge needle drops, turn off the engine. 5. Once the engine has cooled down, open the radiator cap and check the coolant level in both the radiator and the reservoir. Also, inspect whether the radiator is dirty or covered with debris. 6. If the coolant is insufficient, refill the radiator and reservoir with coolant. In an emergency, if no coolant is available, add water as a temporary measure.
Park the car and turn off the engine in a shaded area. Turn the heater to maximum to assist with cooling, but don't rush to open the radiator cap as it may spray and cause injury. Wait about 20 minutes for the coolant temperature to drop before checking. First, see if the coolant reservoir level is too low and check for any leaks in the hoses. Last time I had this symptom, it was due to aging hose connections that were leaking. Top up with purified water or antifreeze as a temporary measure to drive to the repair shop. During regular maintenance, pay attention to whether the radiator surface is clogged with poplar or willow catkins, if the cooling fan is working, and if the water pump belt is loose. Never force the car to run in this condition, or the pistons may melt and stick to the cylinder walls, leading to a major repair costing twenty to thirty thousand.
