It happens all too often – you’re driving down the road when suddenly you notice your car is overheating. This is an alarming issue to most people, especially if there’s smoke involved. If your car has overheating issues, consider looking into these common causes.
Leaks
If your cooling system is leaking, it could be causing your car to overheat. Many different parts of the cooling system could be the source of the leak if this is the case.
Thermostat Issue
It only makes sense that a thermostat issue would cause a car to overheat. A faulty thermostat may not be allowing coolant to flow to the radiator, causing the engine to overheat.
Coolant Issue
This is particularly likely if you’ve just put new coolant in your car. The wrong type of coolant or incorrect level of a coolant to water ratio can cause overheating.
Radiator Issues
Your radiator, radiator fan, hoses, fan blade, or fan clutch are all very likely suspects. The radiator is a key component in keeping your engine cool.
Belt Issues
A belt that’s loose or needs to be replaced can interfere with your water pump and cripple its ability to help cool your engine.
Water Pump
If the water pump seems to be the issue, but the belts seem to be perfectly fine, you could have a bad water pump. Being an important cooling component, your water pump could very well be the reason your car is overheating.
Whatever the cause of your car overheating may be, it’s crucial you get it taken care of sooner than later. Some issues with cars can be put off for a short while without catastrophic repercussions, but this is one of those problems you just don’t want to take a chance with. Be proactive and address the issue before it becomes a very costly repair.