Calm Down in Facing Overheated Cars, Here Are 8 Tips to Overcome and Prevent It!

For many, a beloved car has a special position in the heart of its owner. No wonder the car continues to be maintained and maintained properly, so that its condition is prime and comfortable to drive. But there are car problems that sometimes arise and interfere, such as when the car overheats.

This condition itself is when the temperature of the car engine exceeds the normal usage temperature. You can easily see it on the indicator on the dashboard of the car, and it is usually also characterized by smoke coming out of the hood, unpleasant odors, or increased temperature in the cabin.

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Causes of Car Overheating

Car overheating doesn't just happen, but it can be triggered by several things. Briefly, here are some causes of the car being in such a condition.

1. Problematic Radiator

The radiator has a major role to cool the coolant flowing in the vehicle system. If there is damage or something goes wrong, then the function will not be optimal and the cooling function does not work properly.

It is conceivable that if the cooling system on the vehicle malfunctions, it can cause the engine that works to produce heat, and the temperature is not normalized so that overheating occurs.

2. Lack of Coolant

Coolant has an important role in maintaining normal engine temperature. If the volume is less than the specified one, then the functionality will not be optimal. Engine temperature can rise uncontrollably, and trigger the occurrence of engine overheating conditions.

3. Broken Thermostat Part

The thermostat itself is a component in a car engine whose function is to regulate the flow of coolant to the engine. Can you imagine if this part is broken? Then the coolant will not be distributed properly to the hot parts of the engine.

Damage to this part will interfere with the heat dissipation mechanism so that engine heat cannot be neutralized optimally.

4. Water Pump Damaged

In a series of car engines, the water pump serves to pump coolant to all parts of the engine. If this component is damaged or does not work properly, then automatically the flow of coolant is disrupted and overheating can appear.

5. Inappropriate Oil Quality

Engine oil has a role to protect the engine surface from direct friction between components. Obviously, in the absence of quality oil, the heat generated by engine friction is higher and may be beyond the ability of the cooling device to maintain its temperature.

Not only is it one of the causes of overheating, unqualified engine oil can also trigger other damage to engine components.

6. Late Ignition Timing

Spark plugs that are late to trigger when the piston has begun to fall can also be one of the triggers for an increase in temperature in the combustion chamber. It is not directly the cause of overheating, but it also participates in an increase in engine temperature.

In addition to the six causes above, several other factors can also play a role in increasing engine temperature and leading to overheating. Other causes are low engine oil level, damaged pressure cap , coolant freezes when cold, brakes that stick without pedal stepping, and so on.

In essence, anything that increases engine temperature can cause overheating and propagate to other damage in your beloved vehicle.

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Looking at some of the causes above, maybe you have begun to have an idea of how to overcome this condition and how to prevent the condition from occurring. Briefly, here's how to overcome and prevent the condition of the overheating car which is one of the risks of four-wheeled vehicles.

8 Tips to Overcome Overheating

  1. Stop and turn off the engine as soon as possible. If you continue the trip, the overheating condition  will get worse and may damage various other parts in the car. Let the engine cool down for a few minutes before checking what the problem is
  2. Open the hood so that air circulation can help cool the engine that is too hot. Although simple, this method is significant enough to lower the engine temperature
  3. Check the radiator that is in the car. But remember, do not immediately open the radiator cap shortly after the car stops because there is a risk of dangerous hot liquid overflow. Wait a moment for the engine to cool, then check the condition of this part and make sure the fan is working properly
  4. Check for coolant leaks. If indeed the amount of coolant is running low, then you can add coolant to a predetermined limit. If there is a leak, you should immediately go to the repair shop to make repairs
  5. Check the thermostat and water pump sections. If there are other components that need to be checked, then these components are the thermostat and the water pump. If there is damage in this component, the performance of the cooling system in the car will not be optimal. Repairs need to be made immediately in your trusted workshop
  6. Turn on the floor vents on your car. If there is, you can turn on this floor vent to help cool the hot engine
  7. It may not apply to all cars, but you can try to position the car key in the ON position. This method is useful for cooling radiator water, it can even help reduce high temperatures in car engines
  8. As much as possible find a shady stopping place, so that the engine heat can quickly drop quickly

How to Prevent Overheating Conditions in Cars

Any precaution against damage is obviously much better than having to deal with huge repair costs, or loss of time and effort during car overheating.

Some of the easiest prevention ways you can do include the following:

  • Perform regular maintenance on the car
  • Check every part of the car mentioned above, which could be the culprit of the overheating problem
  • Check the coolant volume regularly, keeping it at the recommended level
  • Check the oil used and replace it according to recommendations
  • Avoid too heavy a load on the car because it can make the engine work heavier

With the simple steps above, you can minimize the risk of overheating the car, and of course keep you from losses due to component damage or time wasted on service.

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The condition of an overheated car  will indeed be a risk faced by car owners like you. New cars or classic cars, all have risks in this condition. In addition to preventive measures and knowing what to do when experiencing it, you are also recommended to have a 'safety net' to help emergencies that suddenly come. Vehicle insurance such as SmartDrive Insurance from AXA Insurance Indonesia can be the right solution. This insurance can help you protect against the risk of strikes, abrasions, dents, loss of keys, theft, to unwanted events on the road. Even this insurance also provides the benefits of towing services if needed quickly. So you can drive #AsikTanpaPanik, and avoid greater financial losses when this condition occurs. Get reliable car insurance from AXA Insurance Indonesia, and perform  routine maintenance every time!

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Reference: 

  • https://www.hondajember.com/berita/detil/511
  • https://otoklix.com/blog/mobil-overheat/#5_Oli_Tidak_Berkualitas
  • https://www.auksi.co.id/detail-artikel/penyebab-mobil-overheat-dan-cara-untuk-mengatasinya-cek-di-sini
  • https://www.cnnindonesia.com/otomotif/20230511125404-584-948215/7-cara-mengatasi-mobil-overheat-atau-mesin-panas-berlebih
  • https://www.mgmotor.id/news/7-penyebab-mobil-overheating-and-how-to solve it
  • https://mypertamina.id/ternyata-begini-7-cara-ampuh-untuk-hindari-mobil-overheat
  • https://duitpintar.com/penyebab-overheat-mobil/
  • https://wuling.id/id/blog/autotips/yang-harus-dilakukan-supaya-mobil-tidak-mengalami-overheat