Revving the car as little as possible or not driving when it is hotter are some of the measures that we must take to prevent the engine from overheating in summer.
How to Avoid Engine Overheating in Summer
Maximize the useful life of your car’s engine by applying the keys and tips shown below. Take good notes! There is nothing like coming home after a hot day and being comfortable in your home with air conditioning or a good fan.
Of course, the journey may be complicated or even impossible if you go home from work with a car whose engine is overheated. Unfortunately, it is a fairly common situation during the summer season.
Did you know you can prevent it from happening? In fact, it is enough to simply apply the keys that you will read below. If you follow the advice that we will give, your car’s engine will not overheat, so you will extend its useful life to the maximum.
It is important to strictly apply the recommendations since otherwise, the engine could end up being damaged. Good car insurance will prevent you from being stranded on the road, but you will have to face the cost of the repair, so it is better to avoid it at all costs.
Don’t drive when it’s hot or during times of peak traffic
At the time of writing these lines we are in the middle of a heat wave, but this does not mean that the temperature will be very high throughout the day.
There are moments of each day, both in July and in other quite hot summer months, when the number of degrees Celsius is somewhat lower. You should take advantage of these moments to drive.
On the contrary, try to avoid it when the temperature of both the asphalt and the environment is very high. There are many drivers who believe that engine temperature only increases due to causes directly related to said mechanical element, but nothing could be further from the truth: the environmental factor also affects it.
In fact, in winter it is more difficult to start car engines because they are very cold due to the low temperature in certain areas of Spain such as Soria.
Returning to the summer season, it must be said that months like July, August and September give rise to huge amounts of road trips. Do you want to prevent your car engine from overheating? So avoid rush hour and opt to drive when traffic isn’t so heavy.
Rev the car as little as possible
On certain very specific occasions, it is convenient to have the car revved up. A clear example is climbing a mountain on a winding road, which requires good acceleration to carry out the journey safely, especially if you are forced to overtake cyclists.
However, in most situations, it is not at all necessary to rev the car. In this case, keep it at a suitable figure that averages around 1900 rpm.
In this way, the engine will remain at a more than reasonable temperature taking into account that it will be driving in the middle of summer on the roads of Spain or a foreign country.
Try to carry a rather light load
If you go on vacation we will not tell you to pack light because it is practically impossible. However, in case you simply make summer trips from a relative’s house to your own, for example, it is advisable that you carry as little weight as possible.
Some drivers carry snow chains year-round. Yes, it’s a good idea to have them available just in case, but it’s not necessary when it’s not winter.
Take advantage of the storage room or any other place to store these types of elements that, when push comes to shove, the only thing they do is increase the load of the car whose engine will suffer more to maintain speed while carrying those extra kilos.
The importance of maintenance
Some users only take the car for inspection while it is still under warranty, but at the end of this period, it is advisable to continue giving it regular maintenance. Otherwise, you may have problems such as overheating of the motor of which we are talking.
The oil must be changed respecting the frequency indicated by the manufacturer itself. In addition, an oil that is of good quality must be used. The same can be said for the coolant. Otherwise, you will increase the risk of the engine overheating and even breaking down.
Park in an area where there is shade
When you are heading home and there is little left to get there, it is advisable to start looking for a parking space, preferably one that does not have direct exposure to the sun. Some drivers think that, since the engine is off, the king sun does not affect it. Nothing is further from reality.
By the time you turn it on, its temperature will already be very high, so it will not take long for overheating to occur. The situation will have nothing to do with whether the car has spent all those hours in a shady area.