Overheating

[ICU2]

With summer in full swing and most parts of the country hotter than ever, does anyone have any helpful tips on how to keep your vehicle from overheating? I'm kind of paranoid about that happening to me so the more tips I can get, the better.

 

[Opal]

Always make sure your engine is well serviced and in good running order. Make sure all liquids are at their proper levels and turn the air off if you get stuck in a traffic jam. This is what I do and I've never had one overheat. Just good common sense.

 

[Hotrod25]

I would also toss a milk jug of water into your trunk. If for some reason you have radiator problems you can add the water. I had to do this when I was younger (beat up car).

 

[RoseRed]

Keep your levels topped up and some water or radiator fluid in the car for emergencies. I've never turned off the AC in a traffic jam and it hasn't been an issue, but if I had an older car I'd consider doing it.

 

[codysalvick]

The steaming we're interested in here is steam that you can see coming from the cooling system: the radiator, the overflow reservoir, any of the hoses, the engine, even inside the passenger cabin in the case of heater core problems. You'll probably be able to tell from the sweet smell that it's antifreeze, unless you are running the non-ethylene glycol stuff. Antifreeze leaks are very easy to spot when they are fresh on the ground, in the immortal words of Scotty -"It's green". When I've got a drip under the auto I'm not sure about, I taste it, and antifreeze is unmistakably sweet though somewhat poisonous.

 

[RoseRed]

When I was younger, I had older cars and terrible luck with the coolant system, so I became very familiar with the sickly sweet odor of antifreeze.

I always carried antifreeze in my trunk, checked my levels often, and turned off my AC in traffic.

 

[leadfoot]

Like the rest of you say, be sure all fluid levels are good and I always carry an extra gallon of water and antifreeze in my trunk just to be on the safe side. Joining a roadside assistance service is always good too.