An overheating engine can be caused by many factors but is mostly concerned with the engine’s cooling system that begins with the radiator, the hoses, water pump, the drive belts and the blowers or fans that cools the radiator. There are also varying methods to deal with such problems and here are some tips that you can add to your bag of tricks when your car does suffer from and overheat.
First, if you are driving and the temperature gauge begins to rise out of the normal, turn off the air conditioning to lower the strain on the engine and see if that remedies the problem. Get to a gas station to have it checked for it might be a sure sign of a deeper problem with respect to the engine’s cooling system. Driving on a blistering hot day in traffic with the air conditioner should not cause any concern for newer cars which still have new components but for older cars, that might be too much for the old-clunker to handle.
If that does not lower the temperature of the engine, drive to the nearest gas station for assistance. With some luck, they might have a mechanic on duty that can easily get you back on the road. If you just happen to have a back-up supply of water in the trunk, drive to the side of the road so you can safely diagnose the problem but “DO NOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE” if you intend to add water to the radiator. Any radiator fluid or water dripping from the hoses, engine or from any part of the cooling system can be a sure sign of a hose break or a leak in the many rubber plugs that covers unused hose ports on the engine.