4 things to do if your car overheats in Lagos traffic

Engine overheating is one thing but in Lagos traffic? It becomes five things. Find out why your car overheats, how you can prevent it, and things to do if you’re ever stuck in a situation like that.

Engines can overheat for a variety of reasons. In general, this is due to a problem with the cooling system, which prevents heat from escaping the engine compartment. A cooling system leak, faulty radiator fan, broken water pump, or clogged coolant hose could all be the source of the problem.

Regardless of the cause, an overheating engine is not something you want to ignore. Your engine may sustain significant, if not permanent, damage.

An overheating engine can be denoted by a temperature spike on your dashboard or more severely; steam coming from under the hood.

1. Turn on the heater - Immediately turn off the air conditioner to reduce stress on the engine. Then, turn the dial to maximum heat. This can help pull heat away from the engine to keep it from overheating until you can pull over in a safe location.

2. Find a safe place to pull over - Pull over and shut off the car. Allow the engine to cool for at least 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge; it should move back to a normal range as the engine cools.

3. Do not open the hood for about 15 minutes - Do not attempt to open the hood; the coolant in a car that has overheated may be in excess of 230 degrees. Once the hood is open, there’s a risk of being sprayed with hot water or steam. Your personal safety is most important.

4. Add coolant (if you have it), and open your wrkman app - If your coolant level is low, a quick top-off could help protect your engine and prevent overheating until you can get a wrkman vetted mechanic in that environment for a thorough check-up

Take good care of your car, and it will take good care of you. The best way to avoid an overheating car engine is to have regular coolant flushes and exchanges performed on your vehicle, as well as keep up with radiator maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer.

Routine inspections by vetted mechanics on wrkman can also help you catch any potential radiator or engine problems early on.