Car Overheating? What You Should Do and What You Should NEVER Do

About this video

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
Turn off the air conditioning immediately
Turn the heat on full blast to pull heat out of the engine
Pull over safely as soon as you can and shut the engine off
Pop the hood release but leave the hood cracked, not fully open
Let it cool at least 30 to 45 minutes before touching anything
Check the coolant level once cool and top off if low
Look for steam, leaks, puddles or a burning smell
Restart and watch the gauge, and call for a tow if it climbs again

WHAT YOU SHOULD NEVER DO:
Never open the radiator cap or coolant reservoir while the engine is hot. The system is pressurized and boiling coolant sprays out under pressure and causes serious burns
Never keep driving to just make it home. A few extra miles can warp the cylinder head
Never pour cold water into a hot engine. Thermal shock can crack the block or head
Never spray water on the engine or radiator to cool it faster
Never ignore the gauge because the car still drives fine
Never remove the thermostat as a permanent fix
Never run plain tap water long term. Use the correct coolant type for your vehicle
Never assume it is fixed just because the gauge came back down

WARNING SIGNS YOU ARE OVERHEATING:
Temperature gauge climbing past normal or into the red
Coolant or engine temperature warning light
Steam or white vapor from under the hood
Sweet syrupy smell from coolant
Hot air stops coming from the heater
Loss of power or the engine going into limp mode
Ticking or knocking from the engine
Coolant puddle under the parked car