What makes a car overheat and how to avoid it

By Paresh Gordhan

The car is a machine that can run for hours without packing up. Sometimes, the car will overheat because of a number of problems and faults. Here is what makes a car overheat and how to avoid it in the future to give you a flawless road trip.

The most common reason why the car overheats is due to extreme heat conditions. Although, this is the most common factor to overheating, it isn't the only one. 1. Cooling System Leaks Every engine must have a cooling system. It either has to be air-cooled or it has to use liquids in the cooling system. There may be a time where a leak might be present if a seal hasn't been installed properly. The leak drops the pressure in the car making less liquid travel throughout the engine. 2. Block of Debris A collection of debris in the engine is not uncommon but it isn't normal. Debris could be made up of dust particles that have been collected. There could also be a thermostat that has not opened properly. 3. Failed Water Pump This cause of overheating is one of the more common reasons. This car part assists the circulation of the coolant and maintains it. There could be an instance where the bearing could wear down and ultimately fail, stopping the coolant from circulating around the engine. 4. Coolant Problems Sometimes the coolant hasn't been concentrated enough. This is usually a problem in the colder climates and cooler weather conditions. If the coolant gets too cold it will become thicker and more gel-like and block the pipes of the cooling system.

To avoid your car from packing up when it's hot you need to switch the air conditioner off and open your windows at the first sign of overheating. You can turn the heater or blower on to transfer the heat into the car. It might be uncomfortable for you or any passengers you have in the car but your engine won't give up when doing this.

You can let the car idle and rev it so that the water pump and fans can work faster to cool the engine down.

Don't use the brakes too much when you are in heavy traffic. The more you stop the harder the engine has to work to move forward again. If you're not careful you will need brake repairs sooner than necessary. Rather crawl slowly along the road if you can see the traffic flowing slightly.

Source: Ezine Articles
