An overheating engine can be a significant hazard for your car, especially in summer. Keep reading this post by AMSOIL: Ace Hi Oil in Southlake, TX, to learn what to do if you’re ever in this situation.

Usual Signs of Overheating

Knowing the signs of overheating is an excellent way to prevent a sudden spike in temperature that can be dangerous for your car. The signs are easy to spot even if you’ve never been in an overheating vehicle. Here are three telltale signs that it’s time to pull over and address your overheating engine:

• As overheating can be very dangerous for vehicles, they come equipped with a gauge that lets you know if it’s overheating. This gauge has a C for a cold engine and an H for a hot one. If the needle hovers near the H, your car is probably overheating.
• Another sign of overheating is if your dashboard temperature warning light or coolant light is lighting up.
• Lastly, steam coming out of your hood is another telltale sign of an overheating engine or another issue you should address immediately.

A consistent maintenance routine can help keep your engine in good shape and avoid overheating. Ace Hi Oil has the best products for your vehicle maintenance, give them a call at (817) 431-6664, and one of their experts will assist you in choosing the best products for your engine. Once you’re ready to place an order, visit AMSOIL’s online store.

5 Steps to Take In the Case of an Overheating Engine

Identifying an overheating engine is helpful, but it’s only one part of the process. Let’s go over what to do if your engine is overheating to avoid damaging your car.

Pull Over as Soon as Possible

The first step in dealing with an overheating engine is pulling over. If you notice any of the signs above, turn on your hazard lights and look for somewhere safe to pull over. If you’re stuck in traffic, turn your air conditioning off, turn your heater on, and roll down your windows. It might sound counterintuitive, but this can help heat escape your engine and prevent it from getting damaged. Cruise steadily until traffic clears and you can pull over in a safe spot.

Pop Open the Hood (But Don’t Open It)

Once you’ve pulled over, a good way of letting more heat escape your engine is by popping the hood. That being said, avoid opening it as it most likely be very hot and could burn you. Instead, wait until the engine cools down a bit before moving further. If you see your engine steaming, your best bet is to call a tow truck and have them towed to your trusted mechanic's garage for them to assess the situation.

By using excellent products like AMSOIL’s Passenger Car ; Light Truck Antifreeze ; Coolant, you can keep your vehicle’s engine healthy for longer. Call Ace Hi Oil at (817) 431-6664 for more information about the best products for your engine, or visit AMSOIL’s online store to see their full range of products.

Open the Hood

Now that you’re engine has cooled down a bit, it’s time to open up the hood. This will help it cool down faster and allow you to look for the cause of your engine overheating. At this point, don’t open the coolant reservoir or radiator as it could release liquid or hot steam that might be trapped inside.

Check the Coolant

After a few minutes of an open hood, the engine might be cool enough to handle. At this point, you can open the radiator or coolant reservoir to check on your coolant levels. If they seem low, check underneath your car for a puddle of coolant. If you do see one, it means you leak. A good idea, especially if your vehicle tends to overheat often, is to have a bottle of coolant in your trunk, but if you don’t have any, you can replenish it with water for the time being. Don’t forget to replace it with coolant later on.

Next Steps

After you’ve dealt with an overheating problem, the following step is to figure out what caused it. If you had run out of coolant, it’s most likely because your engine has a leak. If you don’t have a leak, it could be an electrical or mechanical issue like a malfunctioning water pump or fan. Get your car to a mechanic as soon as possible to address the problem and have it repaired.

Make sure your car is in top shape with a reliable maintenance routine. Call the oil experts at  Ace Hi Oil at (817) 431-6664 and let them guide you through AMSOIL’s extensive catalog, or visit their online store to place an order.