What damage does overheating an engine cause?
As an engine overheats, the aluminium material can begin to warp, swell, expand and even crack. A warped cylinder head could separate from the engine block, creating a leak in the head gasket. A leaky head gasket will cause your engine to start burning oil and coolant.
What does it mean when a car keeps overheating?
There are many reasons why your car could be overheating, but the basic process of overheating involves a problem with the vehicle’s cooling system that doesn’t allow heat to leave the engine compartment. This is often due to a leak or blockage somewhere in the engine cooling system or other components.
What to do if your Toyota Camry overheats?
Learn if it’s a simple fix or time to seek out a trusted technician. Not your vehicle? Why Is My Car Overheating? What are common reasons my Toyota Camry overheats? While there are a variety of reasons your Toyota Camry is overheating, the most common 3 are a coolant leak (water pump, radiator, hose etc.), the radiator fan, or a failed thermostat.
What does the thermostat on a Toyota Camry do?
A thermostat is basically a valve that interrupts the flow of coolant through the engine when the car is cold. This lack of coolant flow allows for the engine to quickly reach operating temperature. As the coolant heats up, the thermostat will open to allow full flow of the coolant through the cooling system.
Why does my Toyota radiator keep overheating?
This is due to contaminated coolant (which can cause a clogged radiator) or a lot of debris that’s damaged the cooling fins on your radiator. Either way, if you’ve got a lot of miles on your car, a clogged or damaged radiator is a possibility. To improve the performance of your radiator, you can try flushing the cooling system.
Why is my Toyota Prius overheating on the highway?
It may never overheat at lower speeds because it is not working as hard as it does at higher speeds. A closed thermostat will not allow enough coolant to reach the engine to cool it. If you’re only overheating on the highway, you might just replace the thermostat (especially if you’re driving an older vehicle).