Why is it so hot we can fry an egg on the pavement, yet we send our kids back to school in 105+ temperatures? And we idle our cars as we wait in the pickup and drop off lanes, causing potentially dangerous overheating situations that can result in permanent engine damage.
I am in the business of mobile car repair because I hate to see people suffer. There is nothing worse than being stuck on the side of the road in this horrendous heat with your kids. Being stuck in a badly air conditioned car repair shop with your kids might be a close second. I am here to prevent both situations.
Here are some tips to avoid the problem of an overheating car altogether:
- Always keep an eye on the temperature gauge and never ignore it if the needle is steadily heading for the hot side of the gauge.
- If this happens, turn the heat on. This helps pull the heat from the engine block and will help cool the engine.
- If this doesn’t begin to show improvement, turn the engine off and pull over to a safe location. Do not open the hood of the car. Let it cool down.
- Never take off the radiator cap. It will be under high pressure and will blow off and cause injury.
- Once the car cools down, then fill with new antifreeze. Or just call me and one of our rescue auto team members will take care of that and also diagnose the problem and fix it.
Here are some preventative steps:
- Have your radiator and hoses checked for leaks
- Keep the reservoir half full. If it is low, add coolant or antifreeze.
- Have the cooling system flushed periodically since the coolant becomes contaminated and its additives become depleted over time.
- Between flushes, make sure the coolant is filled to the proper levels by checking the overflow reservoir.
- Inspect hoses and drive belts for cracking, soft spots or other signs of poor condition. Worn parts are more susceptible to failure in hot conditions and should be replaced.
Fernando Rivera, founded Express Auto and Rescue Auto.com, in 1986. He and his fleet of auto repair technicians have serviced companies such as U Haul and AT&T as well as individuals in Phoenix, Tucson and Northern Arizona. He is also the winner of the BBB Ethics Awards.
For more information, contact expressautocommercial.com or call 602 374 5381.
