“If it’s hot, turn it off and wait for it to cool. You can get serious burns.”

Heat. It’s hot. It’s really hot.

And our car notices it.

Because when the temperature rises, we go to the beach, the town or the mountains and we load the car, our car notices it. First because we demand more from him than we ask of him the rest of the year. Secondly, because adverse weather conditions must be added to these demands, with very extreme temperatures.

The combo is perfect for turning our car into a small oven that heats up and heats up until it reaches, metaphorically, boiling. And when that happens, a red light comes on on the instrument panel and it is best that we get out of the car.

In that case, these are the precautions to take.

The best, prevent

“With the arrival of heat, various components of the car can suffer if they are not checked in time. The engine requires special attention, since high temperatures can cause it to overheat if the cooling system is not in good condition,” explains Francisco Javier Fuentes, mechanic and trainer at Midas.

Sources point out that with the arrival of high temperatures, it is common for them to suffer brakes, battery and tires But he is clear that the main reason for breakdown is engine overheating and that to achieve this, the most important thing is to check the components carefully before leaving: “it is key to check the coolant level.”

And with the increase in temperatures, having coolant in poor condition or a small undetected leak can trigger almost certain overheating of our engine.

The signs, he explains, are clear: “If we observe that the engine temperature increases abnormally, a fault warning light appears, we hear strange noises or notice irregular behavior, we must stop in a safe place and evaluate the situation.”

But here lies an important part of how we should act. If we are on a road open to traffic and we have had to stop on the shoulder, the DGT is clear: reflective vest, beacon and we just have to get out of the car If there is a safe and remote place. Otherwise we will have to fasten our seat belts and wait inside for assistance.

If, on the other hand, we have been able to stop at a gas station, Midas believes that our best ally is patience and, without rushing, seeing what can be done:

“In case of overheating, I never recommend opening the coolant tank while the engine is hot, as there is a risk of serious burns. The best thing to do is to turn off the engine, wait for it to cool and request assistance if necessary.”

And it must be taken into account that the coolant works because the water in the car works at a very high temperature (above 100 degrees), especially if the car has overheated due to a breakdown. Opening the tank when it is hot to check its level can cause it to evaporate quickly and cause serious burns.

Juan José Ebenezer, mechanical expert and content creator, explains in one of his videos how the system works. It points out that the coolant tank acts in a similar way to that of a pressure cooker. To prevent water from evaporating when it exceeds the 100 degreespressure is applied and if there is excess, the car itself decompresses downwards in a controlled manner.

When the driver removes the tank cap, it decompresses, the water begins to boil because it is at more than 100 degrees and it is very likely that it will be expelled upwards, releasing a pressurized jet of water that can cause serious injuries.

Photo | Jamie Street and windy

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