If you are driving and find your engine is overheating, your day just got a little complicated. Most of the time, it is not safe to drive your vehicle when your engine is too hot to function properly. You may find yourself stranded until you either let the engine cool off and replace missing fluids or you call for a tow to a reputable repair shop. The main goal is to keep yourself safe on the side of the road or in a parking lot while you decide how to handle the problem.
Engine Components
The engine is essentially the most important piece of your vehicle. It functions by converting fuel into motion. Fuel is moved by the fuel pump into the combustion chamber, which causes it to expand and drive the piston. The piston then turns the crankshaft, which is essentially the heart of the engine. The crankshaft drives the proper function of the engine, which converts linear energy into rotational energy.
There are two types of engines, an internal combustion engine and an external combustion engine. Aninternal combustion engine, like what is inside vehicles, is a heat engine. The combustion of fuel occurs with an oxidizer within the combustion chamber. The expansion of high-temperature and high-pressure gases produced by combustion applies direct force to the components of the engine, typically the pistons, turbine blades, a rotor, or a nozzle.
Warning Signs of an Overheated Engine
There are a number of warning signs and causes of engine problems. An overheating engine is no different. There are a few things to look out for when it comes to possible engine trouble, let’s talk about those below:
- Steam coming from under the hood
- The temperature gauge on the dashboard begins climbing toward the “H” or high level
- You smell strange odors coming from the car: A coolant leak typically produces a sweet smell and an oil leak will produce a burnt odor.
Your engine may begin to overheat due to a few different reasons. Two common problems that arise include:
- The vehicle’s cooling system may not be allowing heat to leave the engine compartment due to a leak or blockage.
- Rubber hoses, gaskets, and water pumps may spring a leak. This can be caused by normal wear.
What do I do?
Should you find yourself stranded with a vehicle that shows signs of overheating, there is something you can attempt to do in order to reduce the heat: turn on the heater in your cabin. It sounds counterintuitive, but turning on the heat helps pull the excessive heat from the engine into the passenger compartment. If this does not appear to be reducing the burden on the engine and the engine’s cooling system, immediately pull over.
You may see what appears to be smoke coming from underneath the hood. This is extremely hot steam or water. Do not attempt to pop the hood until the engine has completely cooled. You run the risk of being sprayed with the steam if you approach it while it is this hot. If you have roadside assistance, call them and have your vehicle towed to a local auto shop.
DART Auto Will Help
At Dart Auto, we strive to not only provide excellent repair services but customer service as well. Our shop is conveniently located in Denver, CO. 
We provide services and repairs to customers in Denver, Englewood, Littleton, and Centennial, CO. Dart Auto is Denver’s leading Porsche, Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, and MINI Cooper service center.
Our staff is all highly-trained, certified master technicians. We are proud to offer our customers a 3 year/36,000-mile warranty on all parts and labor to repairs provided. Our team uses only OEM and factory parts to ensure your vehicle leaves in pristine condition. We offer a BOSCH credit card. We proudly offer this option because it offers low payments, promotional financing, and no annual fee.
We understand the frustration of being out of a vehicle due to the needed auto repairs. To reduce the frustration our team offers a loaner vehicle available upon request. We also provide excellent communication between yourself and our team to ensure you drive off of our lot feeding confidence and satisfaction. Do not wait until more expensive damage occurs, give us a call today for all of your auto repair needs.
