What Are the Causes of Overheating in Cars?
Engine overheating is a common automotive problem that can seriously damage a vehicle's engine if left unchecked. There are numerous vehicle mechanical parts that have to work in tandem to normalize engine operating temperature; when one or more of these parts fail, engine overheating can occur. What follows is a list of the most common causes of vehicle overheating.
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Low Engine Coolant Levels
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Engine coolant is designed to circulate through a vehicle's engine and pick up heat from internal engine parts and transfer it back to the engine radiator, where the heat gets dispersed, or radiated, into the outside air. Proper amounts of engine coolant are necessary to effectively cool an engine and prevent overheating. If engine coolant is low, engine cooling will be negatively affected and engine overheating can occur.
Low Engine Oil Levels
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Engine oil helps to keep engine operating temperature down by reducing engine friction, which allows an engine to work easier and function more smoothly. Low engine oil levels increase engine friction, which increase engine workload and raises engine operating temperature. If engine oil levels are extremely low, engine overheating can occur, which increases the likelihood of severe engine damage occurring.
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Faulty Radiator
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A bad or dysfunctional radiator can lead to engine overheating if the radiator fails to adequately disperse heat from circulating engine coolant. As engine coolant circulates throughout a vehicle's engine, it picks up engine heat and transports it to the radiator, where it gets radiated into the outside air. A faulty radiator can lose its heat-reducing capabilities, which can allow heat to build up in the circulating engine coolant, which in turn leads to increased engine operating temperature and, in severe cases, engine overheating.
Faulty Water Pump
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An engine water pump is responsible for pressurizing and propelling engine coolant throughout a vehicle's engine, which helps to increase the heat-absorbing capabilities of the circulating coolant. A faulty water pump, especially one that loses its pumping strength, can cause engine overheating if it fails to provide adequate pumping force to properly circulate the engine coolant. Stagnant engine coolant flow leads to the coolant becoming over-saturated with engine heat, which soon leads to an increase in engine operating temperature and, in severe cases, engine overheating.
Stuck Thermostat
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A vehicle thermostat is a small, temperature-regulated valve that opens and closes in response to engine coolant temperature. A properly functioning engine thermostat opens at a predetermined temperature, which varies from car to car, to allow engine coolant stored in the radiator to circulate through and cool a hot engine. If a thermostat gets stuck in the closed position and prevents coolant flow from entering a hot engine, the engine will continue to heat up and, eventually, overheat.
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