Nobody wants their car to break down. To keep your vehicle running well, you need to provide it with regular service. Have the oil changed a few times per year, rotate the tires, and check and replace the brakes as needed. A good auto care service will take care of all these maintenance tasks for you. However, you may still want to know more about the processes they follow, when service is needed, and what other types of services may help your car last longer. We've build this website for people like you — responsible car owners who just want to learn more. Enjoy!
While traveling down the highway, you may have noticed that your car started to sputter and eventually let off a lot of steam that came rolling out from under the hood. After pulling over onto the shoulder, you may have then turned off your vehicle and noticed that the temperature gauge is abnormally high and/or the radiator coolant level is dangerously low.
To get yourself back on the road, you may decide to try a couple of things, such as refilling the coolant or even trying to repair the radiator leak. However, those are two mistakes you should avoid making for the reasons discussed below.
1. Attempting to Remove the Radiator Cap and Add Water While the Car's Still Hot
One mistake that you should avoid making is attempting to refill the radiator with coolant or water while the car is still hot. While you may be in a hurry to get back on the road, rushing out to refill the radiator could backfire on you in a couple of ways.
First, if you attempt to remove the radiator cap, you may end up sprayed with boiling coolant or water. When hot, the contents of the radiator are under pressure. When the cap is removed too early, the pressurized liquid will be forced out and could result in serious burns.
Second, even if you are able to get the cap off without burning yourself, refilling the hot radiator with cold coolant could cause more damage if there is already a hole or crack in the casing. The sudden temperature change would cause the metal to expand and contract rapidly, which could cause any openings to get bigger.
2. Trying to Temporarily Plug up Any Leaks You Find in the Radiator
Another mistake that you should avoid is trying to temporarily plug up the leaking radiator. One trick of which you may have heard is pouring pepper into the radiator so that it clumps up and seals the holes.
However, while this method could successfully do the job, it will also gum up the radiator, hoses, and even the water pump. While trying to temporarily fix the radiator, you could wind up with extensive, costly damage to your car's entire coolant system.
While attempting to temporarily resolve the situation when you are stuck on the side of the road due to an overheated car may seem like a good idea, you could make matters worse. This is especially true if you are unsure of what to do. Instead of risking injury or further damage to your car, contact a roadside repair service to have them send someone out to help you.
Share11 September 2020
