If you have recently been stuck on the side of the road in soaring temperatures with an overheating car, you may be wondering why your car only overheats when driving. You may have let it idle for 10 minutes in the driveway before you left and yet here you are a few miles away with a steaming vehicle.
There are two areas on your vehicle that are likely the cause of your problem, though there are other reasons for a car to overheat that you may need to consider as well.
Engine Oil
Oil’s purpose is to lubricate all of the mechanisms to make sure there is as little friction as possible. Friction causes heat, and if your car is low on oil, or experiencing oil sludge, it may overheat due to excess friction.
Radiator
This system is designed specifically for cooling down your engine. If your car oil is full, your problem is likely here. Check that there is water by removing the radiator cap. To check for circulation, start the vehicle with the cap off and watch for water movement. If it is not moving, certain mechanisms such as the radiator fan, water pump, and thermostat could be the culprit. Debris or dirt could be clogging any one of them and will need to be cleared away.
Time To Call A Mechanic
To put it simply, if any one of these systems isn’t functioning, you may not notice problems while idling because idling does not put much strain on the engine. Driving does.
If you have checked all of your car’s cooling systems and, still, your car only overheats when driving, it might be time to call a professional. Thankfully, TalkLocal can hook you up with a well qualified auto mechanic in your area. The best part is that our service is completely free. We can have you speaking to a professional close to your area in no time at all.
