Your vehicle’s engine is extremely complex and goes through a series of various processes in order to get your vehicle to move. During the combustion process, the engine creates a high amount of heat, which needs to be regulated in order to prevent the engine from overheating completely.
In order to prevent your engine from overheating, the cooling system in your vehicle circulates coolant which absorbs heat and moves it away from critical engine parts. If there is an issue with the cooling system, the engine is at risk of overheating.
So, if you see the engine temperature warning light come on, what does it mean and what do you do next? If this light turns on, it means that your vehicle has detected that the coolant temperature is too high. This indicates that your engine is likely overheating.
If your engine is overheating, it is recommended to pull your vehicle over to a safe place and turn off the engine for at least 20 minutes. Afterward, drive your vehicle into our shop here at John’s Auto Care for an inspection. You definitely do not want to continue driving your vehicle for extended periods of time if there is a cooling system issue. The reason being, you may have a coolant leak or a problem with a cooling system component that will lead to your engine running at very high temperatures. This can lead to engine damage, corrosion, and eventually total failure.
So if you do see the engine temperature warning light appear, get your vehicle into the professionals here at John’s Auto Care for an inspection today!