Your car’s engine runs really hot, but that heat can warp engine parts and cause extreme damage. That’s why your car has several systems in place to help reduce temperatures. Sammy’s Auto has some advice for you about what could cause your car to overheat.
You Need an Oil Change
Believe it or not, your car’s oil does a lot to help keep the engine cool. Skipping oil changes or going longer than you should in between them means that the car’s oil isn’t able to do as much to help keep the engine cooler. If other issues are at play, too, then your car may be overheating way more often than it should be.
You’re Out of Coolant
Keeping your car’s coolant topped up is easy and important to do. The coolant reservoir is usually pretty easy to access and the semi-transparent container means that you can see at a glance whether you need to add more coolant. By checking on this yourself every couple of months, you’re a lot less likely to run too low on coolant. While you’re under the hood, make sure to check your car’s oil and peek at the battery to make sure it looks okay.
There’s a Problem Somewhere in the Cooling System
Even with plenty of coolant there can be a problem somewhere else in the cooling system. The radiator can spring a leak or the water pump can fail. You might even find that the thermostat, a tiny part that just has on and off functionality, suddenly stops working. Some of these are simple and inexpensive fixes, but others are going to be more complicated.
The Head Gasket Failed
The one problem that you don’t want to have be the cause of your car’s overheating is a failed head gasket. This seal sits between sections in your car’s engine. It’s responsible for keeping coolant on one side and out of the other. When that seal no longer does its job, you have a big problem and may even need to replace your engine completely.
Don’t ignore overheating issues, because they can cause big engine damage over time. Contact us today at Sammy’s Auto in Seffner, FL and we’ll be happy to figure out why your car is overheating. Once we know what’s causing the problem, we’ll let you know exactly what your car needs in order to be back in perfect running order.