Car overheating and don’t know what to do? Our experts explain what to do if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation.

Signs of car overheating

Indicators that your car is overheating include:

  • Steam coming from the hood of your car
  • The engine temperature indicator on your dashboard is pointing to high
  • An unusual smell coming from the engine

Read more about protecting your car from overheating.

Step one: turn of the air conditioning and open windows

In warmer weather, the engine can slightly overheat. In most modern cars the situation quickly fixes itself. But, turning off air conditioning and opening windows will ease pressure on the engine so it can focus on cooling down.

Step two: turn off the engine

If your car is seriously overheating, and you can see the signs as indicated above, pull over. Because your car is not safe to drive in this condition. Pull over safely and turn off the engine. If you are stranded, call your road side assistance for help. Hopefully you are located somewhere safe so you can work out what to do next.

Step three: open the bonnet

Give the engine fresh air by opening the hood of the car.

Step four: let the engine cool off

There is nothing that can be done while the engine is hot. Therefore, do not touch the radiator cap. You’ll risk a severe burn, and the pressure underneath will be violently released, potentially right into your face. Don’t risk it!

Step five: top up the coolant

It may be a simple case of low coolant. So, topping it up will fix the problem.

Step six: investigate

If it’s not the coolant, the overheating of the engine is a symptom of a bigger problem. It’s possible that the temperature valve is faulty. But, it’s more likely that your engine has a leak.

Step seven: repairs

Choose a licensed repairer to undertake your repairs. Volks Affair is the team of choice for owners of German brand cars. Because it’s our specialty, we know these cars inside out. We specialise in repairs and servicing of Audi, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Volkswagen.

Contact us to book a repair service today.