Tips From the Pros of Thousand Oaks to Prevent Engine Overheating in a VW

While driving, a car’s engine generates massive amounts of heat. Overheating can have disastrous effects on the engine, damaging it severely. Your Volkswagen has built in safeguards against overheating in the form of a cooling system. However, proper care and maintenance of this important system is needed to ensure that it is able to do its job and keep your engine at its designed temperature.

Luckily, there are several tips that can help you avoid having your Volkswagen overheat. Let’s go over them so you have the knowledge needed to make good decisions concerning the safety of your engine.

Check the Coolant

The coolant is the vital fluid responsible for circulating throughout your engine and keeping it from becoming too hot. It is a good idea to regularly check the coolant levels and color. This can be done by popping your Volkswagen’s hood and locating the reservoir. Your owner’s manual should have a diagram depicting its exact spot.

Although more thorough checks ought to be handled by a professional who knows what to look for, has the proper training, and possesses tools to do the job correctly as well as safely, it is advised to monitor your fluids regularly. Low coolant levels mean more coolant should be added. A technician can also look at the color of the fluid and determine wear, along with possible contamination.

Note that sometimes adding more coolant will not solve the problem, because there might also be a leak somewhere which led to the low levels in the first place. You might notice such a leak underneath your Volkswagen. Suspected leaks are an urgent problem as they impact the functionality of your car as well as safety. You might end up with a nonfunctional engine and a very expensive repair bill if you choose to ignore leaks!

Check Drive Belts

The cooling system relies on a water pump in order to work. This is driven by a belt. Your belts should be inspected regularly, as they are important for a variety of vehicle tasks, including keeping the engine cool.

Check the Thermostat

Your Volkswagen comes with an engine thermostat, and if it fails or malfunctions, the vehicle might not receive accurate data about the temperature, meaning it is likely it won’t cool sufficiently which increases the risk of overheating.

Pay Attention when Driving

While operating your vehicle, do not ignore your temperature gauge, especially when it is high. If your engine is overheating, you are likely to be alerted from the gauge on your dashboard. Pull over at a safe rest stop and turn off your engine. The hood will be extremely hot, so wait for it to cool down before opening it to allow heat to escape the engine bay and cool off.

Your next step should be getting a tow for service. Even if you add coolant when the engine is cooled down, the issue is likely to recur without diagnosis and repair of whatever caused it to overheat in the first place.

Scheduled Cleaning and Flushing

Coolant can be flushed at service intervals. This is usually accompanied by a cleaning solution being run through the system prior to refilling with new coolant. You also have a condenser sitting in front of the radiator, which can catch debris and become blocked. Having this cleaned is a good idea to prevent such blockages which can lead to inefficient cooling.

Drive Reasonably

If you are driving in urban traffic with frequent stops and starts, try to drive at a steady, smooth pace. For example, don’t press your foot to the floor when the light turns green, only to slam the brakes seconds later at the next stoplight. This is not only hard on your engine, brakes, and other systems, but it increases the chances of overheating due to the increased load put on the engine.

Bavarian Performance Specialists for Your Volkswagen’s Service and Repairs

Bavarian Performance Specialists are here for your Volkswagen’s cooling system and maintenance! Located in Thousand Oaks and also serving nearby areas of Agoura Hills, Westlake, Malibu, and Newbury Park, CA. We are the #1 German vehicle shop in the Conejo Valley region with over 31 years in business. We are dedicated to providing high quality customer service and excellent vehicle service and repairs.

To schedule an appointment, please call 805-495-3191. Our address is 3121 Thousand Oaks Blvd. #1 Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. We look forward to having you as a customer!