Engine & running faults

Car overheating or temperature gauge rising

Overheating is one of the few faults where what you do in the next few minutes decides whether it stays a small repair.

Call 07440 140340 Send an enquiry

Symptoms drivers describe

Temperature gauge above its normal position
Coolant warning light or message
Steam or a sweet smell from the bonnet
Heater blowing cold while the engine runs hot

Possible causes

Coolant loss from a hose, radiator, pump or housing
A failed thermostat
A faulty water pump
Cooling fan or fan control failure
A blocked radiator or air in the system
Head gasket failure in more serious cases

What you can do

Pull over safely and switch the engine off
Do not open the expansion tank while hot
Do not keep driving to reach a garage — call us instead

How we check it in the workshop

We pressure test the system for leaks, check thermostat and pump operation, test fan control and check for combustion gases in the coolant where symptoms suggest it.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Urgent. Continuing to drive an overheating engine risks head gasket and engine damage.

← Back to the fault library

Related repairs

How we can help

Cooling System RepairsOverheating is one of the few faults that can turn a modest repair into an engine rebuild in a matter of minutes. Stop and call rather than pressing on.Read more Thermostat ReplacementA thermostat stuck open leaves the engine cold and thirsty. Stuck closed, it overheats. Both are worth fixing quickly.Read more Water Pump ReplacementThe water pump circulates coolant through the engine. When it leaks or seizes, overheating follows quickly.Read more Radiator Repair & ReplacementThe radiator sheds the heat the engine makes. Leaks, blockages and fan faults all show up the same way: rising temperatures.Read more Vehicle RecoveryBroken down, non-runner, or a car that needs moving? We tow and recover cars and light commercials across West London, Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire — and bring them straight to our own garage for repair.Read more

Helpful reading

Go deeper on this fault

Car overheating: what to do and what not to doOverheating damage happens in minutes. What you do in the first two minutes matters more than anything else.Read more

Engine & running faults

Other symptoms in this group

Car stuck in limp modeLimp mode is a protection strategy, not a fault in itself. The control unit has seen a reading it does not trust and has reduced power to keep things safe.Read more White smoke from the exhaustColour, smell and whether the smoke clears once warm are what separate normal condensation from a coolant or fuelling problem.Read more Blue smoke from the exhaustBlue smoke points at oil reaching the combustion chamber or exhaust. When it appears — start-up, overrun or under boost — narrows the cause.Read more Black smoke from a diesel exhaustBlack smoke is unburnt fuel. On a modern diesel with a DPF it usually also means extra soot heading into the filter.Read more Car losing power when acceleratingLoss of power is either a fuelling, air or protection issue. Live data under load is what separates them rather than guesswork.Read more Car cutting out while drivingIntermittent cut-outs are among the most important faults to record properly, because the evidence disappears the moment the engine restarts.Read more

Want this looked at properly?

Send us your registration and describe the symptoms — we will tell you what the next step is.

Call 07440 140340 WhatsApp us