One of the dangerous car troubles potentially necessitating a call to a Newark tow company is an overheated engine. Unfortunately, if your vehicle is not regularly maintained, you might also end up with the same fate.
Engines can overheat because of a broken radiator or a clogged coolant hose at the core. In most cases, the overheating engine problem is caused by a blockage or a leak somewhere in some components or in the engine’s cooling system.
Although engine overheating situations can vary, it is quite easy to tell that there is an overheating going on. Watch for these signs:
- A smoke-looking steam releasing from the hood;
- A lighted “H” sign on the dashboard’s engine temperature gauge;
- A strange odor coming from the front area of the car which could either be due to a coolant leakage (yielding a sweet smell) or an oil leakage (producing a burnt smell).
Unfortunately, not all drivers are versed enough in managing an engine overheating situation. Oftentimes, it is treated wrongly, creating more damage than good. Although a local tow company can easily come to your rescue, it pays to be always ready in case such a misfortune arises for the sake of you and your passengers’ safety.
Always remember this engine overheating checklist as soon as early signs manifest:
1. Turn off your car’s air conditioner. Being one of the components that consume a lot of power from your engine, a running air conditioner will continue straining your motor, making the overheating worse. Make sure to turn the A/C off right away.
2. Turn the blower or heater on by setting the climate control to hot. This will help pull the heat from the car’s engine into the car. As you do this, make sure the windows are also open for proper air ventilation.
3. Facilitate air circulation through the radiator. To do this, park your car on the roadside if you feel it’s safe and then set the gear to neutral. Once done, slightly and gradually tap the gas pedal for a few seconds. This will get the water pump and fan working, facilitating air circulation on your engine. But make sure to do this for a few seconds only.
4. Turn off the ignition to control and prevent more engine damage.
5. Make sure to vacate the car and open your hood to literally cool things down.
6. Carry out an initial checkup. It pays to be familiar with the components inside your hood. In this case, knowing where your coolant tank is will help you check whether there is a leakage happening.
7. If you have a coolant, add some. If you’ve been hands on in maintaining your car, this step will help save you more potential troubles. You can cool down a heating engine by adding coolant to your car’s reservoir tank. But keep in mind, you must wait for the heat to end or tame before locating the coolant reservoir and make sure your coolant is properly concentrated or diluted. Otherwise, your safety might be put at risk.
Here at Newark Tow Truck, we understand how stressful, daunting, and dangerous such a situation can be. You need not deal with this further. As soon as you’ve spotted a sign of overheating, give us a call right away. Your safety is important to us; we vow to be there in minutes. We have been the most trusted roadside assistance and have been providing a superior tow truck service in and around Newark, New Jersey for quite some time. Give us a call today!