Why Is My Car Overheating?

There’s nothing worse than that feeling you get when you see smoke pouring out from underneath your hood. There are many reasons a car would overheat. If you’re out driving on Darien roads and your cooling system is leaking, or your radiator is malfunctioning, don’t drive your vehicle! Driving an overheating car can put you, your passengers, and your vehicle in grave danger. It will likely lead to lasting damage. If you wonder, “Why is my car overheating?” you can learn more about it here, or bring your car to Jaguar Darien Authorized Certified Pre-Owned and Service for service.

What Causes a Car to Overheat?

What does it mean when a car overheats? And what causes a car to overheat? While there are several reasons why a car would overheat, these are the most common causes on Fairfield streets. See if your situation matches any of the following scenarios:

• Broken Water Pump: A leak or a shifted pump shaft could prevent your water pump from delivering coolant where and when it’s needed and cause your car to overheat.
• Leaking Cooling System: A leaking cooling system is the most common reason a car overheats. This cooling system includes a radiator, a water pump, a head gasket, hoses, and thermostat housing. If one of these components breaks or leaks, your car will overheat, and steam or water will escape. Learning how to check your coolant level can help you catch this issue before it causes major problems.
• The Coolant Hose is Blocked: Even with no leak in your system, your vehicle may still overheat if there’s a block in the coolant hose. Sometimes debris or dirt will accumulate inside it and prevent the system from functioning correctly.
• The Wrong Coolant Mixture: Most vehicles require a 50/50 water-to-coolant ratio. If the mixture is incorrectly mixed, your car might overheat.
• Radiator Problems: If your radiator is broken, leaking, or blocked, it’s another reason a car could overheat.

In some cases, an overheating engine may also be the result of a lack of clean motor oil. Find out how to check your car’s oil level today.

What to Do When a Car Overheats

You might be wondering what to do when a car overheats. If you’re out cruising around Westport and experience one of the above problems, there are several things you should do:

• Safely pull over to the side of the road and immediately turn off your car. It’s crucial to wait at least 30 minutes before you pop the hood, or you could get burned.
• If you’ve been using the air conditioning, stop right away and set the heat to full blast. You’ll be uncomfortable, but it will help remove the excess heat from your engine block.
• Call Roadside Assistance, or another towing service to take you to Jaguar Darien Authorized Certified Pre-Owned and Service, near Stamford, for service.

If you’ve been having an overheating problem, but you haven’t yet gone to the service center, make an appointment with our team as soon as you can!

Bring Your Car Into Jaguar Darien Authorized Certified Pre-Owned and Service For Service Today

Now that you know what it means when your car overheats, and what to do when a car overheats, contact Jaguar Darien Authorized Certified Pre-Owned and Service to take the next steps with a team you can trust. It’s easy to make an appointment with our service center. We’ll patiently answer all of your questions and figure out why your car is overheating. Jaguar Darien Authorized Certified Pre-Owned and Service also has a great parts department where you can even order tires or accessories. While you are here, learn more about your car and its issues, such as why is your car AC blowing hot air? Give us a call today!