When things get too hot under the hood, your engine’s at risk of seizing up permanently. Car overheating is one of the greatest dangers to any vehicle’s engine, so if you ever detect signs of overheating, it’s best to pull over immediately and contact your local Chevy dealership. A trusted technician can figure out and repair the issue before any more serious damage occurs.
When a car’s engine starts to overheat, the first thing you’re likely to notice is the temperature gauge on your dashboard creeping up into the red. This alone should be enough to get you to pull over.
If the overheating worsens, your engine might start ticking and knocking loudly while also losing power. You might even see white vapor seeping from under the hood as the coolant begins to boil. Let’s take a look at the most common causes of an overheating engine.
Failed Cooling System
Your car’s primary defense against overheating is the cooling system, which pumps coolant through the engine to draw away and dispel excess heat. If the ever coolant leaks, the radiator clogs up or malfunctions in some other way, or the water pump fails, then friction and heat will soon skyrocket inside your engine. It’s important to keep your cooling system well-maintained and also keep an eye out for puddles of leaking coolant on the ground under your car.
Low or Degraded Motor Oil
Alongside the heat-generating combustion process, heat is created inside the engine as a result of friction from so many mechanical parts rubbing against each other. Motor oil serves a vital function in reducing this friction, thus helping to control the temperature. If you ever miss an oil change and allow your oil to get low or degrade, the oil’s lubricating function will diminish, and the heat will soon start to climb.
Bad Belts or Hoses
The various belts that transmit power throughout your car, including to components of the cooling system, should also be inspected regularly to ensure they’re all in good working order. A slipped or broken belt can often be the cause of faltering pats, including components of the cooling system. Likewise, the hoses that carry coolant through the engine need to be kept in tip-top shape.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
The thermostat helps to regulate the engine’s temperature and cooling system. If your thermostat experiences a fault, it may fail to control the system properly, leading to overheating. Inside the cabin, you might also be given false temperature readings by a faulty thermostat, making it harder to detect the developing problem.
Have the source of your overheating engine diagnosed and repaired today by qualified technicians at Jim Turner Chevrolet. We’re a trusted local full-service dealership built on a customer-first ethos and family values.
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