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How to Cool Down an Overheated
Car |
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If your car overheats and damages the engine, you have
no one to blame but yourself. Keep your eyes on the temperature gauge and never
let the needle move into the red. Pull over before it gets too hot.
Steps to Follow:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Wait. If the engine is steaming, don't open the hood.
3. Pull the hood release lever under the dashboard to
open the hood when the car has cooled completely.
4. Walk around the front of the car, reach under the
hood, find the latch and squeeze it. As you squeeze the latch, pull up and open
the hood.
5. Check the coolant reservoir tank first. It's a
plastic jug that has a small hose running to the radiator. The reservoir can be
filled when the engine is hot (except on German and Swedish engine cars, the
plastic reservoir is also under pressure, so don't open when the engine is
hot).
6. Open the radiator cap with a rag. Remember: open it
only after the engine has completely cooled. If you're not sure, don't open the
cap. If you open the cap while it's still warm, you may burn yourself with
steam or hot coolant. Open the cap slowly, as if you were opening a bottle of
soda that has been shaken up.
7. Examine the radiator. Look inside and see if there's
coolant left. If needed, fill to the top of the radiator.
8. Put the radiator cap back on.
9. Check to see that the upper or lower radiator hose,
or any of the heater hoses, hasn't burst.
10. Restart the engine.
11. Watch the temperature gauge obsessively. Don't let
the needle go into the red. Turn off the engine if the gauge approaches the red
zone.
12. Understand that you can continue driving a
high-temperature vehicle if you're far from a phone or a service station and
the car does not need coolant (or does not respond to these instructions).
However, drive only as long as you stop and turn off the engine whenever the
gauge gets close to the red, and let the engine cool down until you drive
again. This may take a long time, but it probably beats walking. |
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Tips: |
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Overheating can be caused by factors other than low
coolant level (thermostat stuck closed, blocked radiator, malfunctioning fan or
failed water pump). If the coolant level isn't low, it's time to visit a
mechanic.
It's OK to add just plain water or antifreeze in an overheating, emergency
situation. When routinely adding or changing coolant, always use a 50-50
mixture of water and antifreeze. |
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