How to protect your car from overheating
Written by: Simon Pavey, Last updated:14th February 2023
If you want to keep your car in the best condition and reduce your risk of suffering breakdowns
or any other unfortunate incidents on the road, pretty much the most important thing you can
do is look after the engine.
As well as taking your car in for regular checks and servicing, you can maintain your engine by
sticking to positive habits that will help you avoid common problems like overheating.
How to avoid overheating
According to the AA, overheating causes thousands of breakdowns every year across the UK.
To protect against it, you should check your coolant level once a week to see if it’s between the
minimum and maximum levels. Make sure you wait until the engine is cold before conducting
this check.
The coolant – a mixture of water and antifreeze – is found in the expansion tank, which has
minimum and maximum marks on the side. If you need to top up the coolant, make sure you’re
adding the fluid to the right tank, since putting it in the screen wash, brake fluid or power
steering reservoir could cause damage.
Most modern cars have a sealed cooling system, so you shouldn’t need to top up the coolant
too often. If you find that you’re regularly having to top up, it could be a sign of a leak, which
will need to be checked out by a professional.
Another useful step that can reduce your risk of overheating is to ensure the radiator’s electric
cooling fan starts running when the engine gets hot.
You can check this by running the engine when the car is stationary, or you can get it examined
at a garage.
With MyService.Expert from Fuel Card Services, you can keep up with these sorts of inspections
with the help of regular calendar reminders and money off parts and labour.
