Repairs
Car Overheating?
Overheating is a stop-now fault. What you do in the next ten minutes decides whether this is a hose or a cylinder head.
Overheating now?
What to do at the roadside
- Pull over somewhere safe as soon as you can and switch the engine off
- Do not open the expansion tank while the system is hot and pressurised
- Let it cool before checking the coolant level
- Look for obvious leaks, steam or a snapped auxiliary belt
- Do not continue driving to 'get it home' if the temperature is in the red
- Call us on 07440 140340 — recovery to the workshop is usually cheaper than the alternative
Common causes
- Coolant loss from a hose, radiator, pump or housing
- Failed thermostat stuck closed
- Water pump failure or a snapped drive belt
- Cooling fan or fan control fault
- Blocked radiator or restricted airflow
- Air lock after previous cooling work
- Head gasket failure putting combustion gases into the coolant
How we diagnose it
We pressure test the system, check temperatures and live data, test the fan and thermostat operation, and gas test the coolant where head gasket failure is suspected. That tells us whether you are looking at a straightforward repair or something more involved before any parts are ordered.
Frequently asked questions
Our work
Recent jobs from our workshop
Photographs taken during work carried out at our Iver workshop.
Failed water pump removed, with coolant deposits around the impeller
Symptoms
Symptoms that often lead to this repair
Look up what your car is doing and read what it commonly means.
Related
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Talk to us about car overheating?
Based in Iver, covering West London, Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire. Send your registration and we will quote for your vehicle.