Before we get into the cooling system problems that can make your car overheat all the time, let’s talk about your vehicle’s maintenance. Urb’s Garage advises that if you fail to maintain your vehicle, the engine will run hotter. For example, if you fail to get the oil changed, the oil will begin to deposit dirt throughout the engine that will increase its temperature. This is just one reason why your car will overheat all the time. Here are other causes of constant overheating.
Clogged Cooling System
It is generally recommended that you have your cooling system flushed and refilled every 30,000 miles to make sure there are no clogs in the hoses or other cooling system parts. If the cooling system ends up getting clogged, there will be no coolant circulation throughout the engine and the engine will overheat.
Leaking Coolant
The cooling system is also inspected during its 30,000-mile service to make sure that there are no leaks. For example, coolant can leak out of the water pump, the thermostat, the radiator hoses, and the radiator itself. It can also leak out of the overflow reservoir and the system seals and gaskets.
Damaged Radiator
Discussing this a bit further, if you drive an older automobile, it’s possible that the bottom of the radiator is corroded. This happens over time. Eventually, the corrosion eats through the metal and the radiator starts to leak. Other radiator damage can include clogged air inlets and dents.
Dead Cooling Fan
The radiator uses the outside air to cool off the hot engine coolant. It also uses a cooling fan. If there is a problem with the fan, it may malfunction and refuse to turn on. The electrical system can also prevent the fan from working. Consequently, you will have hot engine coolant circulating through the engine.
Dead Thermostat
A dead thermostat is also going to cause your engine to overheat every time you drive your automobile because it will not release coolant into the engine. Unfortunately, the engine will overheat very quickly after you fire it up. This is because the thermostat has not opened the coolant valve.
Dead Water Pump
Finally, you may end up with an overheating engine if the water pump has died. The water pump circulates the coolant through the engine, and if it is malfunctioning, it may reduce the coolant circulation or refuse to circulate it at all.
Call Urb’s Garage in Erlanger or Burlington, KY, today if your automobile is overheating every time you drive it.
