Car overheating? Here’s what to do: pull over somewhere safe and shut the engine off. Don’t keep driving, since an overheating engine can be badly damaged.
Watch for these warning signs:
- Gauge: the temperature needle climbs to the H or into the red
- Steam: steam or spray comes from under the hood
- Power loss: the engine suddenly feels weak
If you can’t stop right away, turn off the A/C and turn the heater all the way up. Once you’re stopped, turn on your hazard lights.
Don’t open the hood while steam is coming out. Never open the radiator cap or coolant tank on a hot engine. Hot coolant can spray out and burn you. One Canadian parts seller says to wait at least 30 minutes before you open the hood.
Too much heat can warp the cylinder head or blow the head gasket. Those are big repairs.
Don’t drive the car again until you know why it overheated. Call for a tow and have the cooling system checked. For prices, read our guide to radiator replacement cost in Vancouver.
Service desk The full guide
Radiator replacement cost in Vancouver: the published prices, what a quote covers and how to compare quotes.