It does not matter where you are or how fast you’re driving, your car may overheat at any moment. If you take good care of your car with proper maintenance, then the cooling system will prevent your engine from overheating. However, incidents happen, and you should know exactly what to do when your car is in trouble.

How to Tell if Your Car is Overheating

There’s no doubt that you’ll be able to tell when your engine is getting too hot. Below are the red flags of an overheating engine:

• High-temperature gauge
• Burning smell
• Steam coming from under the hood
• Check engine light or cooling temperature light on

When you notice these signs above, it is imperative that you pull over to a safe spot. You can turn on your car heater to draw the heat away from the engine. While it sounds counterintuitive, it works! In fact, having the A/C on can make things worse as it overworks the engine. 

Once your engine is shut off and cooled down, you can check the coolant levels. It is very important for you to wait because the cooling system can spray off hot steam. If you need assistance checking your cooling system, call for roadside assistance to get to your trusted auto repair shop.

Common Causes of Engine Overheating

• Failing water pump
• Running your car in hot weather
• Faulty or rusty radiator
• Broken thermostat
• Coolant leak

If you are looking for reliable cooling system service and repairs in West Babylon, NY, look no further than Cosmo’s Service Center. Please give us a call or visit soon.