What Causes A Car To Overheat

Why Is My Car Overheating?

A couple telltale symptoms indicate your car is overheating. At first, your temperature gauge creeps up into the red zone. You’ll get a warning on your instrument cluster that says “Engine Hot” or something similar, lit up in an ominous red. It could be a plume of white smoke that hisses from under your hood. It could be caused by one of many issues. Some could be a really small part, but none of them are minor. With each of the components, you could experience a blown motor or extensive cooling system repairs if repairs aren’t dealt with quickly.

6 Reasons a Car Overheats & Car Overheating Symptoms

Blocked Radiator

Old, unchanged coolant starts to deteriorate. Floating particles and corrosion form in the fluid and attach themselves inside the radiator. These deposits reduce or block coolant flow, causing the engine temperature to climb.

Water Pump Failure

The water pump mechanically circulates the antifreeze throughout your cooling system. If the water pump seizes or the impeller is damaged, coolant won’t flow to take heat away from the engine.

Stuck Thermostat

Your car thermostat keeps your engine in the proper operating temperature range by opening and closing to regulate coolant flow. If it’s stuck closed, the thermostat totally blocks hot coolant from leaving the engine. It doesn’t take long until the engine overheats.

Should I fix my car or Sell it As Is?

Blown Head Gasket

There’s a reinforced gasket that seals the engine’s cylinder head to the engine block. The gasket keeps combustion inside the cylinder, oil in the proper channels, and the coolant separate from them all. If you have a blown head gasket, coolant and oil can mix and cause problems in both systems. Or, they can get into the cylinder and cause running issues or a blown motor.

Low Coolant Level

Low coolant is as bad as any part failure. When the coolant level is low, an airlock will form. This air bubble essentially prevents coolant from circulating. The result is the same as a blocked thermostat or blown head gasket if left long enough - a blown engine.

Leaking Heater Core

At first, you might notice a sweet smell inside the car and a puddle on the passenger side floor. It’s a heater core leak. Like any other cooling system leak, it leads to a low coolant level. Your car overheating is the end result if it isn’t fixed in time

Is an Overheating Engine a Bad Sign?

There’s a possibility that the problem is a quick fix. You have to figure out why your car is overheating. The thermostat, a minor coolant leak, and even a water pump repair can be simple repairs. The key is that the repair needs to be addressed quickly or you’ll end up with a seized engine, blown head gasket, or a blown motor.

Other repairs aren’t so basic. If your head gasket is leaking, for example, it can cost a couple thousand dollars or more to repair. That’s just the start, though, because a major repair usually signals the start of constant breakdowns or car troubles. Your car overheating could be expensive, and it’s almost always a bad sign for the future.

Can I Sell My Car That’s Overheating?

If your car needs mechanical repairs of any kind, it’s not easy to sell it, never mind get a good price. Dealerships don’t want a broken-down car on trade, and selling locally is a pain. You can’t sell your car online at basic car buying websites because anyone who wants to buy it can’t drive it away. You’ll have to disclose the engine repairs your car needs, and that means very few people will be interested in it.

Instead of searching “sell my car online” or “repair shop near me”, search for CarBrain. If you want the option to sell your car as-is without fixing your car overheating issues, you need someone who’s in the market for that kind of vehicle. CarBrain is a top buyer in the United States for cars in less-than-perfect condition. No matter what’s wrong with your car - accident damage, it doesn’t run, it’s overheating, or nearly anything else - CarBrain will make a cash offer for your car.

The process is fast and it’s extremely easy. Simply request an online quote with CarBrain's proprietary system. All you have to do is put your vehicle information, mileage, and condition into the form, and we’ll give you a fair cash offer for your car. If you accept it, we’ll pay you within 72 hours, and we’ll even tow it away for free. If you have a car overheating, what do you have to lose? Try CarBrain before you do repairs that could cost more than the car itself.

What Can I do With A Car That’s Overheating?

Should I Part Out My Car?

Parting out a car is easier said than done. there's no guarantee that you'll sell all the parts and make a reasonable profit. Unless you have tons and free time and space, then you may be in for a bumpy ride. Read more to learn about your options.

Can I Fix It or Sell It AS-IS

It’s a tough choice between fixing or selling your car but, there are some issues that are just not worth fixing as you spend more on the repairs than what your car is worth. To avoid overspending on repairs it's important to know which issues are worth fixing.

Can I Sell My Junk Car Online?

Sell your car with the click of a button! Avoid wasting your valuable time meeting with strangers or haggling with dealers and visit CarBrain. You’ll receive an FREE online evaluation for your less than perfect car in 90 seconds! We’ll even deliver the payment and tow the car for FREE!