Is That Smoke Coming From Your Car?

You’re already having one of those days, so the last thing you need on the drive back home from the office is for your car to start overheating. That dreadful smell from the engine and the jerking from the car losing its power is enough to send your bad day way over the edge. Before you become that guy… or gal sitting on the side of the road surrounded by a billow of smoke, try the following:

• Turn off your air conditioning and open your windows.
• Turn on the heater and blower… or,
• In stopped traffic, try shifting your car into neutral or park and rev your engine.

If none of the above work, and once you have safely pulled over to the side of the road:

• Turn off your engine. DO NOT open your hood until your vehicle’s temperature gauge has cooled down.
• Make sure you have the proper amount of coolant/antifreeze in the radiator. You may just need to refill the coolant to the top.
• Check to see if your vehicle’s heater hoses are blocked, disconnected or damaged.
• Restart the engine.

If your vehicle is still overheating after you have performed the above tasks, then safely pull your vehicle over to the side of the road again, shut the engine off and call AAA or your local mechanic because you may have a much bigger issue on your hands.