Billion Auto Group Official Blog
Your truck can overheat even when it’s cold outside
By Product Expert | Posted in Vehicle Maintenance on Tuesday, January 30th, 2018 at 10:53 pm
Why does my truck overheat in the winter?
The average low temperature in Bozeman for the month of January is 14 degrees. When it’s this cold outside, the last thing you would think you need to worry about is a vehicle getting too hot. If your car, truck or SUV has an internal combustion engine, it makes heat and that heat needs to be dealt with in the proper manner. If you have been struggling with trying to figure out why your truck overheats in the winter, Billion Auto Group might have some answers for you. Like almost anything regarding vehicle maintenance, it all comes down to staying ahead of potential problems. Let’s get into this a little bit and see if we can help you find an answer.
READ MORE: How do I know if my transmission is going bad?
What causes overheating?
Without trying to get too reductive in our reasoning, overheating is caused by the ineffectiveness of a vehicle’s cooling system. Coolant is supposed to freely flow through coolant passages and dissipate heat caused by friction and combustion. That now hot coolant goes to the radiator where passing air sucks the heat out of it and it goes back to work.
If your car, truck or SUV starts to get too hot, there are two likely causes.
You have a leak — If there is a leak in the cooling system, there won’t be enough coolant passing through where it needs to be and it won’t dissipate enough heat.
Broken thermostat — The thermostat is a very critical component in the cooling process. If it’s broken or otherwise malfunctioning, your engine will be prone to getting too hot.
What should I do if my truck overheats?
If you notice your truck starting to overheat, it is important to act quickly to prevent extensive (read: expensive) damage. Before you do anything, make sure you are able to pull over safely before doing anything else.
Shut it down — This should be pretty obvious. But after getting out of the way, it’s important to turn the vehicle off before things get worse.
Be open about it — Pop the hood open as quickly as possible. Getting air to the engine will help cool things down. This is where a cold day could be useful. DO NOT REMOVE THE RADIATOR CAP!
Bringing your vehicle in for regular maintenance will help you stay ahead of problems or at least catch small ones before they become big ones. If you haven’t had an oil change or your coolant replaced for a while, make an appointment with the Billion Auto Group Service Department today.
