If you see your car overheating, turn off the air conditioning, pull over somewhere safe, and shut the engine off. Wait at least 30 minutes before you open the hood, and never open the radiator cap while it is hot. If the gauge climbs again after the engine cools, stop driving and call a tow. A few more miles can turn a small repair into a ruined engine.
Miller’s Towing & Recovery picks up overheated cars across Wichita, from the shoulder of Kellogg to parking lots on West Street. This guide covers the warning signs, the six steps to take, and how to decide between driving to a shop and calling for a tow.
Signs of a Car Overheating
You usually get a warning before the engine is damaged. Watch for these:
- The temperature gauge moves into the red, or a temperature warning light comes on
- Steam comes from under the hood. It can look like white smoke.
- You smell something sweet (coolant), hot oil, or burning rubber
- The engine loses power or starts to knock
- The heater blows cold air when it should be hot, which can mean the coolant is low
6 Steps to Take When Your Car Is Overheating
- Turn off the air conditioning. It adds load to the engine.
- Turn the heater on high. It is not comfortable in July, but it pulls heat away from the engine while you look for a place to stop.
- Pull over safely. Get to a parking lot or a wide shoulder and turn on your hazard lights.
- Shut the engine off. Do not sit and idle with the gauge in the red.
- Wait before you open the hood. AAA’s guide on why a car overheats says to wait at least 30 minutes. The coolant is under pressure and can cause serious burns.
- Check the coolant once it is cool. Look at the plastic overflow tank first. If it is low and you have coolant, add a 50/50 mix of coolant and water, then watch the gauge when you restart.
If the gauge stays normal, drive straight to a repair shop. If it climbs again, stop. The problem is not just low coolant.
What Not to Do
- Do not keep driving. Firestone’s guide on what to do when a car overheats lists the damage that can follow: a blown head gasket, a warped or cracked cylinder head, and in the worst cases a seized engine.
- Do not open the radiator cap on a hot engine. Scalding coolant can spray out.
- Do not pour cold water on a hot engine. The sudden change in temperature can crack metal parts.
- Do not ignore it if it goes away. An engine that overheated once will do it again until the cause is fixed.
Why Is My Car Overheating? Common Causes
The cooling system is a loop. Coolant picks up heat in the engine, the water pump pushes it to the radiator, air cools it, and it goes back. A problem anywhere in the loop causes a car overheating problem.
| Cause | Clue | Drive or tow? |
|---|---|---|
| Low coolant from a small leak | Sweet smell, puddle under the front of the car | Top off when cool and drive to a shop if the gauge stays normal |
| Burst hose or large leak | Steam, coolant pouring out | Tow |
| Bad thermostat | Overheats within a few miles even with full coolant | Tow |
| Failed water pump | Whining noise, leak near the front of the engine | Tow |
| Radiator fan not working | Overheats at idle or in traffic, fine at highway speed | Tow, or a very short drive in cool weather |
| Clogged or damaged radiator | Runs hot under load, such as pulling a trailer | Tow |
| Broken belt | Battery light on, steering gets heavy | Tow |
| Blown head gasket | White exhaust, coolant disappears with no leak | Tow |
AAA lists low engine oil as a cause too. Oil carries heat away from moving parts, so check the dipstick while you wait.
Car Overheating in Wichita: Where It Happens
Heat and slow traffic are the two things that push a weak cooling system over the edge, and Wichita has both.
- Summer afternoons. Days near 100 degrees leave the cooling system very little room.
- Stop and go on Kellogg. With no air moving through the radiator, a bad fan shows up fast.
- Construction zones. Lane closures on Kellogg, I-135, or I-235 mean long crawls with the AC running.
- Long highway pulls. Loaded pickups and cars towing trailers run hot on the Turnpike and K-96. See what to do in a Kansas Turnpike breakdown.
- Winter, too. A small leak that drips all fall leaves the system low when the first cold snap hits.
If you are on a highway shoulder, stay in the car with your seat belt on while the engine cools, unless you see flames. If you see fire, get everyone out and away from the car and call 911.
Drive It or Tow It?
Use this simple test.
- Drive carefully to a shop if the engine cooled down, the coolant was only a little low, you topped it off, and the gauge stays in the normal range.
- Call a tow if you see steam, coolant is pouring out, the gauge goes back up, the engine is knocking, or you have no coolant to add.
A tow across town costs far less than a head gasket or an engine. We take cars to any shop in Wichita, and you get the price before we hook up. Our article on towing a car to a repair shop in Wichita explains how the drop off works, including after hours. For hot weather tips, read summer heat and vehicle breakdowns.
What to tell the dispatcher
When you call about a car overheating, give us the cross street or mile marker, the year, make, and model, and what you saw: steam, a leak, or a warning light. Tell us which shop you want it taken to. If you do not have a shop yet, we can take the car to your home or hold it at our yard on South Broadway until you decide.
Questions About a Car Overheating
Can I drive a short distance with the car overheating?
It is a gamble. Damage can start within minutes once the gauge is in the red. If you must move the car out of traffic, go only as far as the first safe spot.
Can I add plain water?
In an emergency, water in a cooled engine is better than nothing. Have a shop refill it with the right coolant mix soon after, since plain water does not protect against freezing or rust.
Why is my car overheating when the coolant is full?
The coolant may not be moving. A stuck thermostat, a failed water pump, a dead radiator fan, or a clogged radiator can all cause it.
Why does it only overheat with the AC on or at idle?
That pattern often points to the radiator fan. At highway speed, air is forced through the radiator. At a stoplight, the fan has to do that job.
How long should I wait before driving again?
Give it at least 30 minutes with the engine off, then check the coolant before you restart.
Need a Tow for an Overheated Car?
If your car is overheating anywhere in Wichita, Derby, Haysville, Andover, or Park City, call Miller’s Towing & Recovery at 316-351-4754. We answer day and night through our emergency towing service. See all of our towing services in Wichita, KS or use the contact page.