The heatwave doesn’t just make people and animals sweat. Cars also suffer from temperatures.
Because too much heat in the car damages the engine in particular. In case you ever find yourself with an overheated car and nothing else to do while waiting for help to arrive, you could try killing some time on online Casino sites.
First of all, how do you know if your car’s engine is overheating? Even if there are no messages from the digital driver information system in the cockpit flashing at the driver: Cars usually have a display for the cooling water temperature. If this moves into the red area, the engine is clearly too warm. In addition, almost all cars also have warning lights that come on when the engine has overheated.
What are the consequences of overheating my car?
In the event of overheating, components such as the radiator, cooling hoses, or the cylinder head gasket can initially be damaged. In the event of severe overheating, the engine hull can be so severely damaged that it results in major engine damage.
What should I do? Can I still drive to the petrol station or workshop?
If the warning lights in the cockpit flash or if the red area on the control display for the engine temperature is reached, the vehicle should under no circumstances be moved any further. Then it is better to stop, pay attention to the indicator lights and read the operating instructions for the vehicle. If you are unsure, drivers should call the nearest workshop.
In which situations does the engine get too hot?
Modern cooling systems are designed to be much more robust than in the past. Even with high loads and high temperatures, the systems rarely reach their limits. If a car is exposed to very high loads at high temperatures, the cooling systems in modern cars can no longer maintain the normal operating temperature. This is particularly dangerous if the car is parked in the blazing sun for several hours at high temperatures. Especially in completely asphalted parking lots without a roof or shade from trees, there is a risk that cars can heat up to 70 degrees. Electronics and batteries are particularly stressed when the vehicle is stationary with the windows closed. There is no general temperature limit from when it becomes problematic for cars in the heat. Even those who drive the car in a normal and sensible manner at 45 degrees Celsius will hardly have any problems with the heat; You can tell from the thousands of cars that drive every day in cities like Dubai or Las Vegas.
However, even modern systems are not limitlessly resilient. Therefore, in case of doubt, it is better to drive constantly at 80 kilometres per hour and not push the car to its limits.
What exactly happens when the car overheats?
The combustion of the fuel in the engine creates very high temperatures. With a cooling system, the operating temperature is kept at around 100 degrees Celsius by means of a water jacket in the engine. If the engine gets too hot, the water also heats up and evaporates. Since the cooling system is a pressure system, temperatures of up to around 120 degrees Celsius are still possible. If the engine and cooling system get even hotter, the pressure in the system will eventually become too high and the system will break open at the weakest point. The water evaporates and the engine is no longer cooled.
How can I prevent the engine from overheating?
If possible, drivers should always park in the shade on extremely hot days or, at best, in multi-storey car parks and underground garages – even if they may have to walk a little further or have to pay for the parking space. Drivers should drive calmly to avoid high loads in high heat. And the right amount of coolant also plays an important role: The coolant should always be fully filled – and consist of a mixture of coolant and water. Special other additives are not necessary, but the manufacturer’s specifications for the coolant must be observed.
What other risks are there for the car in extreme heat?
Extreme heat can be dangerous for tires that are in poor condition, or their compounds and treads are designed for lower temperatures. In addition to winter tires, all-season tires are also less efficient in the heat than real summer tires due to their softer rubber compound. Drivers should definitely pay attention to the correct tire pressure – filling about 0.1 to 0.2 bar more does not hurt.
How does heat affect acceleration, especially with the air conditioning running?
A switched-on air conditioning has a negative effect on acceleration. How big the influence is depending on the vehicle in question. When driving normally, however, very few drivers will hardly notice any difference, as the influence is usually very small.
