An overheating car can cause serious, even irreparable, damage to your engine. Your engine is a naturally hot environment due to combustion and friction from hundreds of moving parts. Your Mazda has a highly-efficient cooling system to keep the temperature under control. As your Mazda dealer, we’d like to tell you about some of the causes of your car overheating.
Is Your Car Overheating? Visit Your Mazda Dealer Today
Damaged Radiator
Your radiator takes in engine heat and exchanges it for cooler air via heat exchange. Liquid coolant is the medium used by your engine to absorb the heat and transport it to the radiator. Radiators are subject to constant high temperatures and pressures, and these conditions can take their toll. A damaged radiator has a serious impact on your cooling system.
Radiators are composed of aluminum and plastic, and over time they can get damaged and spring a leak. Coolant will rapidly leak out of a damaged radiator, and your engine temperature will climb dramatically. Our technicians will examine your radiator and repair it if possible. If the radiator is too damaged, we can install a new one for you.
Jammed Thermostat
Coolant is released and circulates through your engine in response to rising engine temperatures. Your engine has a preset point, usually around 185F, when the cooling system is activated. The thermostat is a small component that controls the flow of the coolant. When your engine temperature reaches the preset point, the thermostat opens and releases coolant.
If your thermostat fails, it can jam open or closed. A thermostat that jams closed won’t release any coolant. The lack of coolant will cause your engine to rapidly overheat. A thermostat that jams open will prevent your engine from reaching its optimum operating temperature. Your car will use more fuel due to the colder engine temperature.
Worn Radiator
When you’re driving, coolant circulates through your engined under high pressure. The coolant absorbs heat and transports it to the radiator for cooling. Once inside the radiator, the coolant enters rows of thin aluminum tubes. Airflow through the grille removes the heat, and the cooled coolant is recycled through the system again.
This cooling system works perfectly when your car is moving. When you’re stationary, however, airflow is greatly restricted. When your engine is idling, a small fan at the rear of the radiator will activate. This fan blows across the back of the tubes and forces the heat out through the grille. If the fan is damaged, it won’t be able to remove the heat, and your engine temperature will rise.
Overheating can result in damaged cylinders, a blown head gasket, or warped pistons. If you see signs your engine temperature is rising, call us ASAP at Tom Bush Mazda.
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