What can cause a car to overheat

Question

my friend has a Acura Legend and when he drives it for about 10 minutes, it starts overheating and if you don't let it cool down, smokes starts to come out.

Answer 1

lots of things can cause it, like maybe a hose, radiator needs flushing, heater core,water pump, or even a head gasket will cause it. that,s probably steam, instead of smoke you see. have your friend to check the fan and see if it is kicking on, also it could be the thermostat not opening up.

Answer 2

There's plenty of things it could be. It could be the thermostat not working properly and opening when it should at a certain degree. It could be a leak in the radiator, radiator hose or something could be wrong with the water pump. Just to name a few. What may seem like smoke is most likely steam. You should tell your friend to take it to a mechanic. And be sure to tell him to add more water to the radiator and the radiator reservoir, but only once it cools down. Hot steam can burn you.  

Answer 3

CAN BE A LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM RADIATOR , RECOVERY TANK HOSE S LOOSE CLAMP STUCK THERMOSTAT. BAD OR LEAKING WATER PUMP.  

Answer 4

there are alot of variables. take a look at the coolant itself if its coudy take it and have a radiator power purge done on it to replace the fluids (jiffy lube does that) water pump, no coolant, bad thermostat, low or no oil. so just check all these things (replace as needed) and you should be good to go

Answer 5

try changing out you thermostat sometimes when it goes bad it gets stuck and wont allow the water to cool your engine and make sure it has coolant and not just water!

Answer 6

I would take a look at the cooling fan i have 2 cars in which the fans wont start when the car is on

Answer 7

There are alot of things that can cause this...  Coolant problems (not enough coolant, coolant leak, non-funcional water pump, busted thermostat), Engine problems (low oil, too much oil, blown gasket, cracked or warped block).  Basically, you should definitely get it to a service center, or mechanically inclined person, to check for problems before the engine gets toasted.

Answer 8

First, open the radiator cap when it's still cool. Turn on the car and watch the water from the opening.  The water should be bubbling or turning as the engine begins to get warm.  What is happening is that the thermostat is beginning to open and is working properly.  It could take several minutes.  (Turn off car and close the cap when the water is beginning to turn.  Don't worry about water rushing out.  Stand back about four feet from the car just to be safe.  Ask someone to be ready to shut the engine off quickly.)  If the water is not doing anythinng, you need to check the thermostat.  On a faulty thermostat, the water rushes to the water reservoir when the pressure is too high.  That also mean the thermostat is not working properly or there is a clog.  

BAD THERMOSTAT: A thermostat opens and closes to allow water to be heated and cooled when you are traveling.  It's not wise to take it off and use the car without one if someone ask you to.  The thermostat is shut when the water in the engine is cold.  As the engine gets hot, so does the water.  the thermostat opens allowing the water to get cooled by the radiator.  The cold water in the radiator goes into the engine block.  The cycle repeats itself.  Cost: $35 -thermostat plus $50-$100 labor.

CLOG:  A clog occurs by an obstruction in the radiator caused by the build up of limestone deposits from regular tab water.  If you been adding water only, build up will occur.  The radiator has very small openings to allow for a quick cooling.  The clog radiator must be removed and cleaned out with a wire and a solution. Cost: between $75 - $150, depending on the type of radiator and difficulty to remove.

If removing the radiator, it would be wise to change all hoses since they will already be removed.  It would save you money in the long run.

Another quick check:  fuse box for a burn out fuse (cooling fans).  If there are two cooling fans: one for the A/C and one for the radiator.  Turn on the A/C to know which one is for the radiator.

Answer 9

Low coolant level, Faulty thermostat, worn out water pump, bad radiator cap, clogged radiator, broken water pump belt.

Answer 10

10 minutes is too short for the engine to overheat.  This means that there are lots of things to check, such as, but not limited to:

  - radiator or coolant level in the reservoir, it must be empty

  - water/coolant leaks in the engine, radiator & water/ coolant reservoir, anything that is wet after puting water/coolant

  - water pump for leakage/stock up

  - busted radiator hoses (upper and lower)

  - check if the radiator/reservoir cap if intact and tightly fit

  - broken water pump & fan belts

  - busted cooling fans

   The above are the basic things that can be immediately inspected.  If all of the above are OK, try the following:

  - locate the thermostat or call a qualified mechanic to check on it to check if it's still working

  - have the radiator cleaned-up from clogs/rusts

  - check the water pump for stock-up while running the engine

Pls. remember that enough water in the reservoir makes the engine run beyond 10 minutes without overheating. If there's enough water/coolant in the radiator and still overheats, the following are the suspected defects:

  - deffective thermostat

  - deffective water pump

  - clogged radiator channels

The above should be serviced by qualified mechanics. Good luck.