How to prevent car overheating
Rising temperatures and humid air spells summer in Central Florida, but if your vehicle’s engine temperature gauge is going up too then you’ve got a problem on your hands. Car overheating spells trouble for your Orlando Toyota and isn’t something to stay cool about. Toyota of Orlando has you covered with ways to keep your engine performing correctly straight from our expert service technicians. Let’s take a look!
What causes car overheating?
If your Orlando Toyota’s internal temperature gauge is on the fritz, it means that your vehicle is experiencing car overheating and will shut off. A number of issues could cause this; here are a few to watch out for:
· You have a blocked hose. Debris from the road and environment finds its way into engine compartments far too often and could block a number of the hoses that keep your vehicle functioning properly. Unfortunately, this is an issue that isn’t so easily fixed unless you have an extensive knowledge of hoses and engine work. Luckily, Toyota of Orlando’s expert technicians can help you figure out and fix the hose blockage.
· You could have a leaking hose. While on the topic of hoses, another issue that can cause car overheating is a leaking hose. This prevents the right amount of coolant from making it to the radiator and your engine and in turn causes overheating. In cases like these, the hose must be replaced before driving again.
· Your radiator is malfunctioning. Radiators are critical to maintaining your Orlando Toyota engine’s temperature by cycling and cooling off hot coolant and then routing it back to the engine. Without this happening, car overheating will follow and really put a damper on your driving.
· You have a broken water pump. Your vehicle’s water pump is the part that pumps coolant all throughout the radiator and engine to facilitate the constant cooling process. If this is broken or blocked, forget about driving.
What do I do when car overheating happens?
If your Orlando Toyota begins to overheat, your next steps are critical to keeping your vehicle from shutting off or undergoing permanent damage. Here’s what our expert technicians suggest:
- Make sure to pull over to a safe spot immediately. Driving while experiencing car overheating could result in permanent damage to your vehicle.
- Open the hood, rev the engine while your Orlando Toyota is in park, and/or turn on the heat in the cabin. Doing these could force coolant to cycle through your engine and release hot air from within the engine compartment. It’s not a permanent fix, but it can keep you and your car safe until help arrives.
- While the hood is up, check your coolant levels to see if they’re below where they should be. Thankfully, checking the coolant level is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require messing with hot parts of the engine compartment. Just find the coolant reservoir (it’s usually up near the hood in a corner of the engine compartment) and look at the side to see where the liquid lines up. If you happen to have coolant and water on hand, make a 50/50 mixture and pour it right into the reservoir to get you by until you can see a technician.
- DON’T check or touch the radiator (it’s usually located closest to you in most Orlando Toyota models). This part is likely to be very hot as a result of car overheating and you could seriously burn yourself.
- If these steps don’t work, call a tow truck or roadside assistance and have your vehicle towed to the nearest service center. Toyota of Orlando is always here to help in case of car overheating.
Is it time for an engine checkup? Look no further than our expert service technicians at Toyota of Orlando! Give us a call at (407) 298 – 0001 or visit us at 3575 Vineland Road, just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall.