Help Your Engine Get Cool

Cars overheat most often in scorching weather. If your dashboard temperature indicator starts to rise, or a malfunction indicator light comes on, here are a few simple steps to help your vehicle regain its cool.

Shut Down

At the first sign of overheating, shut off your air conditioner and open your windows. Doing so decreases the load on the engine and helps it cool off.

Crank Up the Heat

If you continue to overheat, turn on the heater and blower. ;Doing so transfers the heat from the engine to the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Shift to Cool

If you’re stopped in traffic and the temperature gauge is rising, shift into Neutral or Park and rev the engine. Doing so makes the water pump and the fan speed up, which draws more liquid and air through the radiator. The increased air and liquid circulation helps cool things off.

Give Your Brakes a Break

In stop-and-go traffic, crawl along slowly, on little more than an idle, rather than moving up and then braking repeatedly. Brake drag increases the load on the engine and makes it heat up. If traffic is crawling, move up only when the gap between you and the vehicle in front of you gets too large.

Pop the Hood

If you think that your vehicle is about to boil over, get to a safe spot on the side of the road, open the hood, and sit there until things cool off. ;Remember, don’t open the radiator cap under these circumstances, and if your engine has boiled over, don’t add water until the engine is quite cool again. If you must add water when the engine is still a little warm, add the water slowly while the engine is running in Neutral or Park. Make sure the emergency brake is engaged.

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