If your vehicle begins to overheat while driving, what should you do?

When a vehicle begins to overheat while driving, the best course of action is to pull over safely and allow it to cool before checking. This is a crucial step because overheating can lead to severe engine damage if not addressed promptly. Pulling over minimizes further strain on the engine and helps prevent potential complications, such as a blown head gasket or other critical failures.

Once the vehicle is safely stopped, allowing it to cool down gives you the opportunity to assess the situation without risking injury from steam or hot components. Checking levels of fluids, such as coolant, or inspecting for leaks becomes safe at this point.

Turning on the air conditioning, while sometimes thought to help, often increases the load on the engine, which can exacerbate the overheating issue. Continuing to drive to a service station can worsen the problem, potentially leading to catastrophic engine damage. Opening the hood immediately without allowing the vehicle to cool poses safety risks, as hot steam or hot engine components could cause burns.

Thus, pulling over and allowing the vehicle to cool is the most prudent decision to manage overheating effectively and safely.