What To Do When Your Car Overheats And Smokes

My family and I were on a road trip during the summer. We were traveling with my mother-in-law and we were driving her vehicle. We were going through the dessert but we were almost to a small town where we were going to get gas and stretch our legs. 

Right before we entered the town of Mountain Home, the vehicle we were traveling in started to overheat and was smoking. I am so thankful that my hubby was with us and that we were only a few miles from the nearest gas station! My hubby knew exactly what to do, to ensure that the vehicle did not get ruined.

We pulled into the gas station and let the car rest while my husband called the local car maintenance shop. It was Saturday so we were thankful that we found a shop that could help us out. 

Since this recently happened to us, I wanted to share ‘What To Do When Your Car Overheats And Smokes‘. Because, if I were all alone with my kids, I would not know what to do! So, I want to help anyone I can. 

What Causes A Vehicle To Overheat and Smoke?

Here are some common reasons why your vehicle may overheat and smoke:

*Loose or broken belts

*Faulty Water Pump

*Bad radiator fan

*Water pump not working correctly or not working at all

*Leaks or holes in hoses

*Thermostat not working

*Leaks in the cooling system

*Blown head gasket

What To Do When Your Car Overheats And Smokes

If your vehicle starts smoking and your car is overheating, below are some tips on how to handle that situation.

*Pull over to a safe area

*Do everything you can to keep your car from overheating even more

*Turn OFF the air conditioner

*Roll down your windows

*Turn on your heat to high: Wait, what?!!!! You turn on your heat to high in your car because this will move the heat from the engine to the compartment of the vehicle allowing the engine to cool down a bit.

*Open the hood to help cool the engine down

*Turn on your defroster on your front and back window (remember, put it on HEAT!)

*If none of this is working, go ahead and shut off your vehicle

Now What?

If you have to travel and don’t have AAA or insurance for towing your vehicle, after you cool the car down, just take it super slow. Turn your hazard lights on to let other drivers know you are having issues and can’t drive any faster.

Watch the engine temp gauge very closely. If you see that it is starting to go up again, pull over and let the engine cool down before attempting to drive again.

If you don’t know much about vehicle, I recommend first calling a friend or family member that knows a thing or two about cars. If you don’t know of anyone that is mechanically inclined, then I would drive it to your local shop and have a professional mechanic take a look at it.

Having a vehicle that is overheating and smoking is really nerve-wracking! I hated it when it happened to us and we were so far away from home. Thankfully everything worked out perfectly and the vehicle is now in great condition. 

If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, try to stay calm! Help is usually only a phone call away and unless there is a bigger issue at hand, the fix shouldn’t be too much of a big deal.

These are only a few suggestions on What To Do When Your Car Overheats And Smokes. Has your vehicle ever overheated before? How did you handle the situation?