What To Do When Your Car Overheats—Or Catches Fire

In the warm summer months, temperatures inside your vehicle's engine bay can near 200 degrees. In that type of heat, it's important to keep your engine cool.

Your car's cooling system is usually up to the task. But if the needle of your temperature gauge rises or you spot steam coming from under your hood, your car could be overheating.

When your car overheats, it often means something is wrong with one of the cooling system components, which include your fan, radiator, thermostat, water pumps, hoses and coolant.

5 Steps to Take if Your Car Overheats

If your car overheats, here are some common sense tips*.

• Turn up the heat. While you may be tempted to turn on the air conditioning, this is counterintuitive. Turning your heat on full blast can actually help disperse the heat coming from your engine.
• Find a safe place to pull over. Driving your car when it's overheating can cause serious - and sometimes permanent - damage to your engine, so it's best to stop driving as soon as possible. Pull over and away from oncoming traffic, then turn off the engine.
• Open your hood (or call for help). After parking your car, and only when it is safe to do so, open your hood to let excess heat escape - then, stay back to let things cool down. Be extremely careful and remember that a hot engine can spew boiling coolant or steam under high pressure without warning. If you're not comfortable opening the hood yourself, there's no shame in calling for help. Either way: Never touch a hot engine with your bare hands!
• Look for leaks. You may not be a mechanic, but some cooling system issues aren't difficult to identify. Look at your radiator and hoses to see if you can find leaking coolant.
• Fill your coolant. If you can't find a leak, you may be low on coolant. To check your coolant level, you'll need to remove your radiator cap - but only after your engine has cooled off. Once your engine is cool, use a towel to slowly remove the cap. Your coolant should reach the top of the radiator. If it doesn't, top it off. And be sure to check the plastic coolant expansion tank, if your car has one. Most cars use a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze, but you can just add room temperature water as a temporary fix.
• Know when to call a mechanic. If your car was low on coolant, you can start it back up after topping it off. Keep a close eye on your temperature gauge to ensure that it is in a safe range. If you found a coolant leak, or your coolant was full, you may have a more complex cooling system issue and it's time to call your mechanic.

How to Prevent Your Car from Overheating

Before you head out on your next summer road trip, follow these steps to prevent your car from overheating and spending your vacation at the repair shop.

• Check your coolant level and make sure it's fresh.
• Check your drive belt to make sure there is no unusual wear and tear.
• Check your radiator. If your car's A/C condenser sits in front of your radiator, a buildup of leaves, bugs or mud can block the airflow.
• Inspect your radiator cap. If the spring is too weak, it may not be able to maintain the pressure needed to prevent boiling over and overheating.

Finally, make sure to schedule a multi-point inspection on your car before heading out on any road trip or vacation. A trusted mechanic will know to check for maintenance issues that would need a quick fix to help make your drive as smooth as possible.

What Should I do if My Car Catches on Fire?

Should your car get a little more than just overheated and catch fire, remember that flames can engulf a car in a matter of minutes, so time is of the essence. If you find yourself in a vehicle that catches fire, follow these steps:

1. Pull over. Get your vehicle off the roadway and come to a complete stop as soon as possible.
2. Shut off the engine. Turning the vehicle off will stop the flow of gasoline to the engine. It also disables power to many of your car's electrical components.
3. Get out of the car. Everyone in your vehicle should get out immediately. Once you leave, stay at least 100 feet from the car and do not return to get any personal items - your safety is more important than anything you may have left behind.
4. Call 911. Another motorist may have already called for emergency services. But you should always call yourself to ensure a fire truck is on its way.

Prevention is also key here, so it's imperative to properly maintain your vehicle, be careful when transporting fuel and do your best to park in cool, shaded places during the summer, as your car's catalytic converter can reach temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Should I Try To Put Out a Car Fire?

If your car is on fire, you may be tempted to put it out yourself. While it may be possible to stop a fire with a Class B or Class C fire extinguisher, most safety experts advise it's best to just keep your distance and leave the job to the professionals.

Opening your car's hood or trunk can cause a sudden increase in airflow to the fire - which will make matters worse. And many of your car's components (such as airbags, gas shocks, fuel tanks and batteries) can explode during a fire, sending dangerous shrapnel in your direction.

Is Fire Damage Covered under Auto Insurance?

Most standard auto insurance policies do not cover fire damage by default-fire may be covered if you carry the appropriate physical damage coverage.

Comprehensive coverage (often part of a full-coverage package) typically covers vehicle fires, less any applicable deductible, arising from non-collision incidents, such as wildfires, engine fires, arson, or vandalism.

If a fire is the direct result of a collision, your Collision coverage would apply instead.

A Liability-only policy offers no protection for fire damage to your own vehicle-only damage you cause to others.

Always check your policy terms, as exclusions or conditions-such as neglect or improper maintenance-may affect coverage. When in doubt, consult your Agent for details.

A Better Day Starts Here

No one pencils a car mishap in their calendar. But when you experience an unlucky break, that's when we shine. Brighter times are ahead when you call on Erie Insurance, because it's our job to help you handle the unexpected and get things back to normal. Get in touch with a local ERIE agent in your neighborhood today for a free, no-obligation auto insurance quote.

*Source: Firestone Complete Auto Care