You’re driving down the road like any other day, and all of a sudden, the temperature gauge on your dashboard starts to spike towards the red end. Instead of panicking, take a deep breath and look for a safe place to pull over. Attempting to keep driving risks permanently damaging your engine. Once you’ve parked, call for roadside assistance to diagnose the problem and get you back on the road or provide a tow to the nearest auto shop. In the future, you can prevent this scenario from occurring by following the guide below.

Common Reasons for Your Car to Overheat

Roadside assistance professionals are commonly called to help with cars that have overheated, which is a result of the cooling system being unable to absorb, transport, or release heat inside the engine. Usually, the cause is a leak in the radiator, water pump, head gasket, or one of the hoses connected in this system. The thermostat could have also failed and is preventing the coolant from circulating. However, other times, overheating could be the result of low coolant levels. 

How to Prevent an Engine From Overheating

The best way to avoid ending up on the side of the road is to become familiar with your car’s cooling system. A water pump pushes coolant through the engine to pull out heat. The coolant is then cycled back to the radiator, where a fan blows the hot air out of the engine to cool the liquid before it repeats this cycle. If any parts start malfunctioning, the temperature under your hood will begin to rise. If the engine stays in this condition for too long, the metal parts will expand and warp or melt, resulting in costly damage. 

You can avoid this by checking the condition of your coolant each time the oil is changed, and at each seasonal change, the hotter it is outside, the more important it is to have a full tank of coolant. Read your owner’s guide to determine how often this liquid should be changed. Also, have your car’s engine inspected at least once a year. A trained mechanic will look over the radiator, hoses, and remaining parts of the cooling system to ensure they aren’t worn. 

An overheated engine is an unfortunate scenario, but when you have the number for a reliable roadside assistance company, you know someone will be by soon to help. Since 1971, Bolster’s Towing has provided 24/7 emergency towing services to drivers in Kalispell, MT, and the Greater Flathead Valley area. Their certified crew are members of the Montana Tow Truck Association and has the right equipment for any towing situation. Call them today at (406) 752-4528 or save their number for an emergency situation. You can also visit their website to learn more about their services.