What Temperature is Considered Overheating for a Car?
2 Answers
Car temperatures exceeding 95 degrees are considered overheating. Below are the reasons for car overheating: 1. Insufficient Coolant: Coolant leaks or low coolant levels can cause the engine water temperature to rise. Check the coolant level and top it up to the appropriate level if necessary. Recheck the level after a few days to see if it has dropped significantly. If it has, locate the leak. 2. Cooling Fan Malfunction: If the cooling fan fails, the heat generated during high-speed operation cannot be effectively transferred to the antifreeze, affecting heat dissipation. This leads to an increase in antifreeze temperature, potentially causing boiling. 3. Water Pump Failure: Water pump failures include seized bearings and damaged impellers. Seized bearings are relatively rare, while damaged impellers—such as cracked impellers or impellers loosening from the pump shaft—slow down the coolant circulation, often resulting in engine overheating.
When driving, I often keep an eye on the coolant temperature gauge. The normal temperature usually fluctuates between 90 and 100 degrees Celsius, which is not considered high. Exceeding 100 degrees poses a risk, and the engine will start to alert you. Once, during a summer traffic jam, the temperature rose to 105 degrees, and steam started coming out from under the hood. I immediately pulled over. High temperatures can cause the engine oil to fail, potentially leading to piston seizure, which is expensive to repair. So remember, regularly check the coolant level and replace it if it's dirty to prevent overheating issues. Even during short trips, pay attention to the gauge changes to avoid turning your car into a mobile oven.
