What to do when your car engine is overheating

Picture this: you’re driving home in peak hour traffic when suddenly you see your temperature gauge keeps rising and rising, and suddenly you see smoke coming out of the bonnet. Would you know what to do in this situation? If the answer is no, then you’ve come to right place!

Whilst it’s rarer for new cars to overheat, Queensland’s hot weather does increase the chances of it happening. So, what are the exact steps you should follow if this occurs?

Signs your car engine is overheating

Car engine overheating doesn’t happen without warning. There are a number of signs that can indicate your engine is overheating. These include:

• The temperature gauge goes above the halfway mark or into the red zone.
• Your car starts to smell burning. This is because when the water inside your radiator boils, it releases steam that smells like burning, even when it’s not accompanied by smoke coming out of the bonnet.
• Steam or smoke coming out from under the bonnet or from the exhaust pipe.

Your step-by-step guide for when your engine overheats

1. Your first step should be to pull over as soon as possible and when it’s safe to do so. Turn off the engine so as to prevent any mishaps such as crashing or spilling hot liquids onto your body or surroundings.

2. Let your car cool down! Whatever you do, don’t open the bonnet until it’s safe to do so.

3. Once it has cooled down, pop open the bonnet. If you notice white smoke coming out from under, do not immediately open it further. Instead, wait a few minutes for the smoke to clear off and then proceed with opening your bonnet fully.

4. Check your coolant level – if it is low, then top it up. While you do this, you should check to see if there is a puddle. If there is, you most likely have a coolant leak.

5. Try to turn your engine on again. Once you have the car starting again, drive straight to a mechanic to have your car looked at by a professional.

If you don’t deem it safe to complete the steps above, then your best bet would be to call a towing company or your insurance for roadside assistance. If you need further advice on what to do in this situation, then it is recommended that you visit a Red Devil Workshop. If the issue was caused by a coolant leak or faulty part, we will be able to fix it for you accordingly.