Driving your SUV with the engine overheating could damage it beyond repair. Heat is the head gasket’s worst enemy. Even though it deals with extreme heat from the combustion chamber, an overheating engine can crack the head gasket. If your SUV overheats all the time, bring the vehicle to our shop so we can inspect the cooling system to look for the following problems.
Clogged Cooling System
The engine relies on coolant circulating throughout it to keep the operating temperature below 220 degrees Fahrenheit. The engine will overheat if the temperature rises above this temperature. Clogs in the cooling system can prevent coolant circulation throughout the entire engine. When this happens, a portion of your SUV’s engine will overheat and pass that heat on to the rest of the engine.
Leaking Cooling System
Your cooling system can leak from the radiator, the radiator hoses, the seals and gaskets, the thermostat, and the water pump among other cooling system parts. It is important to have your SUV’s cooling system inspected and serviced every 30,000 miles to make sure there aren’t any leaks. Coolant leaks reduce the coolant level in the engine and cause the engine to overheat.
Faulty Water Pump
The water pump can also start to malfunction when it gets too old. Too old means about 10 years or 100,000 miles of service. The water pump circulates the coolant through the engine. If it is not functioning properly, you may have reduced circulation or no circulation at all. Naturally, if the engine in the SUV does not have coolant circulating through it, it will overheat.
Faulty Thermostat
Another thing that can prevent coolant from circulating through the engine is a faulty thermostat. The reason why is that the thermostat releases the coolant so the water pump can push it into the engine. Unfortunately, the thermostat has the same lifespan that the water pump has. Consequently, if your SUV is older than 10 years old and overheating, we may need to replace the thermostat.
Old/Damaged Radiator
Finally, the radiator may last longer than 10 years, but if you drive an older SUV, it may be time for a new radiator. The radiator is located directly behind the grille, so it is susceptible to damage and clogging from dirt and debris. If your radiator is damaged, clogged, or rusted through the bottom, this could be the reason why your SUV is overheating whenever you drive it.