Do you know what to do if the engine temperature gauge on your car’s dashboard starts rising?

At some point, you might run into an overheating problem with your car.  With today’s cars, it’s very important to take the following steps.

Steps to take if your car starts overheating

If you notice that engine temperature gauge on the rise you should:

1. Pull over to the side of the road. If possible find a parking lot.

2. Let the car cool down. You will want to wait at least 20 minutes before opening the radiator cap.

3. Open the radiator cap after the engine has cooled down.  Check to see if there is any coolant.  If not, you can add coolant or water to the radiator or overflow reservoir.

4. Immediately take your car to an auto repair shop. If you’re noticing serious leaks as you put coolant into the car, you may want to consider a tow truck.  You also may want to consider a tow truck if there isn’t an auto repair shop nearby.

Common causes of engine overheating include: low engine coolant, a cracked radiator, broken fans or a broken water pump.

Ignoring a rising engine temperature gauge is the worst thing that you can do.  This can lead to tons of costly repairs including fixing a blown head gasket.