If your car, truck, or utility vehicle is overheating right now, even when it’s cold outside, you have a problem in the cooling system. You may also need to change the motor oil if it hasn’t been done in a long time. Collins Auto Care can inspect your automobile to see why the engine overheats all the time. Let’s talk about common problems with the cooling system that create this issue.
Clogged Air Inlets
The coolant circulates through the engine to draw heat away from it and then returns to the radiator to cool off. The radiator has air inlets that allow outside air in to help reduce the coolant temperature. Over time, these inlets can get clogged and you’ll end up with hot coolant circulating through the engine.
Faulty Cooling Fan
The radiator also uses a fan to help reduce the coolant temperature. You likely hear this fan turn on and off in your engine when it is needed. If the fan has gone bad, it may not turn on. Consequently, again, you’ll have hot coolant circulating through the engine and the engine will overheat.
Clogged Cooling System
If your cooling system has a clog anywhere in its, the engine will overheat even if it is cold outside. Clogs prevent the coolant from being able to circulate throughout the entire engine. Consequently, there will be portions of your engine that receive no coolant and the engine will overheat.
Damage to the Radiator
Damage to the radiator can also make your car overheat in the winter. Specifically, the radiator can become clogged with corrosion that eats through the bottom of it. When this happens, the radiator will hemorrhage coolant onto the garage floor. The radiator can also be damaged by road debris.
Faulty Thermostat
The cooling system thermostat keeps track of the engine’s temperature so it knows when to open a valve to release the coolant. If the thermostat is malfunctioning, it may misread the engine’s temperature and filter release the coolant when the engine needs it.
Faulty Water Pump
Assuming for the moment that the thermostat does release the coolant, if the coolant isn’t circulated through the engine, the engine will overheat. The water pump is responsible for the coolant’s circulation. A faulty water pump may be unable to circulate the coolant.
Leaking Cooling System
Finally, as we mentioned above, a rusted radiator may start to leak. There are other cooling system parts that can leak, including the radiator hoses, the seals and gaskets, the thermostat, and the water pump. This will reduce the coolant levels in the engine and cause the engine to overheat.
Collins Auto Care in Houston, TX, is here to help, so call us today to set up an appointment for your automobile.
