Your engine is the main component of your vehicle, since it is the only mechanical part that actually creates motion for your vehicle. Every other system plays a role in helping the engine operate. However, this means that your engine is necessarily under a great deal of stress. This can lead to your engine overheating, which can cause all sorts of complications and negative effects for your vehicle. Fortunately, there are a few different warning signs of engine overheating that you can watch out for to determine when you should talk to an auto repair shop about inspecting your engine to determine if there is an underlying problem that is causing heating issues for your engine.
The Smell of Burning
Usually one of the first signs that there is something wrong with your engine's temperature level is noticing the smell of burning in the cabin of your vehicle. This can happen when the engine heats up enough to actually burn the oil or coolant within itself. This can quickly cause damage to your engine, since without proper coolant and oil, your engine can rapidly overheat and won't be properly lubricated, leading to physical damage.
Loud Noises
Another sign that your engine has begun to overheat is if you notice that there is a screeching, ticking, or regular bumping sound coming out from under your hood while you are driving. This can occur because of improper levels of engine oil and coolant, as mentioned above, which is caused by an engine that is simply running too hot. Pulling over and heading to a mechanic straight away is the best course of action, since continuing to operate your vehicle can lead to physical damage to the moving parts of your engine itself.
Coolant Puddles
A common reason why your engine may be overheating is not because of a mechanical issue, but instead because there is a coolant leak within your system that means that your engine is no longer able to properly cool itself down. You can tell if there is a coolant leak in your vehicle by checking the pavement underneath your vehicle after letting it sit parked for a while; coolant is usually a blue or green tint when blotted up with paper towel. Alternatively, if you find yourself checking and refilling your coolant level several times throughout the year, you should have a mechanic inspect your hoses for a sign of a leak.
Share26 September 2018
After my car died and I was stranded on the freeway a few years back, I knew that I had to do what I could to avoid similar issues in the future. I began working hard to identify different issues with my car, so that I could prevent problems. I began working with a mechanic to get help, and he taught me a lot about going through my car and being able to evaluate different things that were problems. It was really interesting to explore the possibilities of different car failures, and before I knew it, I could tell when my car was struggling. Read more about the early signs of car trouble on my blog.