Cars can overheat for a variety of reasons, particularly when the weather is hot. But Sullivan’s Auto Service & Tire Pros wants you to be aware of these most common reasons for overheating. Most of these issues are preventable, which we can help you to do.
You’re Out of Coolant
One of the easiest solutions to an overheating car is to top up your coolant levels, especially if they’re low. But it’s important to understand why your coolant levels are low, or you’re just going to end up right back in an overheating situation. Lots of car owners don’t realize that engine coolant does need occasional topping up when everything is fine. But is there more going on?
The Cooling System Has an Issue
Your car’s cooling system consists of hoses, pipes, the heater core, the water pump, and the radiator. Any one of those components can experience a block that keeps coolant from flowing freely. Even worse, there could be a leak in one of these components. If there is a leak, that’s going to cause you to lose coolant much faster than you should.
Your Car’s Thermostat Has Failed
You might not know it, but your car uses a simple thermostat to control the flow of coolant throughout the engine. When that thermostat fails, your car can easily overheat. Most of the time, though, when a car overheats car owners tend to think about radiator issues or coolant levels. Thermostats are an inexpensive fix and if you’ve still got the original thermostat, this could easily be the source of your overheating troubles.
The Head Gasket Blew
The answer you don’t want for overheating issues is that your car’s head gasket has given way. The head gasket is a seal that fits between the engine block and the cylinder head. That gasket is the main separator between the combustion areas and keeps coolant, engine oil, and more out of the cylinders. If that gasket is no longer functional, that means that it’s no longer keeping fluids out of the cylinders and your car has big problems beyond just overheating.
If your car is starting to overheat and you’re not sure why, you need diagnostic help in a hurry. Give us a call at Sullivan’s Auto Service & Tire Pros in Seaside, CA. We’ll help you to determine what the problem is so that we can fix your overheating issues for good and keep your car cool and running well.