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EngineUpdated 2026-10-24

Car overheating

What it means

If your car starts overheating, switch off the A/C, turn the heater to full hot, pull over within about a minute if the gauge keeps climbing or you see steam, then shut the engine off and let it cool before opening the hood. Running hot can warp the cylinder head, blow the gasket, and turn a small coolant leak into a tow bill.

Safety first

  • If your car starts overheating, switch off the A/C, turn the heater to full hot, pull over within about a minute if the gauge keeps climbing or you see steam, then shut the engine off and let it cool before opening the hood. From the article: What to Do When Your Car Is Overheating
  • Turn off the air conditioning, turn the cabin heater to maximum heat, ease off the accelerator, and look for a safe place to pull over. From the article: What to do in the first 60 seconds

Fix it step by step

Try the steps in order, easiest and safest first. After each one, tell us if the problem is gone.

Step 1 of 4

  1. Step 1: Turn off air conditioning immediatelyLow risk
    1. Turn off the A/C immediately when the engine overheats.

    Then check whether the problem is still there.

    From the guide section: What to do in the first 60 seconds > Turn off the air conditioning

  2. Step 2: Set cabin heater to maximum heatLow risk
    1. Set the cabin heater to full hot and the fan high.

    Then check whether the problem is still there.

    From the guide section: What to do in the first 60 seconds > Turn the heater to maximum heat

  3. Step 3: Pull over safely and shut engine offLow risk
    1. Use the shortest safe route off the road.
    2. Once stopped, shift to park, set the brake, and shut the engine off.

    Then check whether the problem is still there.

    From the guide section: What to do in the first 60 seconds > Pull over safely and shut the engine off

  4. Step 4: Can you keep driving for a short distance?Low riskIf nothing else worked
    1. Sometimes a short move is reasonable, but only if the car is not in the red, there is no steam, and power is still normal.
    2. If the gauge spikes again, the light comes on, or the car loses power, stop immediately.
    3. Each spike raises the risk of warped cylinder heads and other internal damage.

    Then check whether the problem is still there.

    From the guide section: Can you keep driving for a short distance?

Still broken after every step?

That is every step we have for this problem. Write down what you saw and which step you reached, then ask a qualified mechanic to look at the car. If it feels unsafe to drive, stop and call roadside help.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you turn your heater on when your car is overheating?

Yes. Turn the cabin heater to maximum heat while you are pulling over, because it helps pull heat away from the engine. It is a temporary roadside step, not a fix.

Which step should I try first?

Start with "Turn off air conditioning immediately". The steps run from the easiest and safest to the hardest, so you can stop as soon as the problem is gone.

Sources

The steps above come from VFixCars articles.