#overheating
7 posts in Car Diagnostics blog about "overheating" — OBD-II diagnostics, DTC codes, repair. ← All posts
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The thermostat: two ways to fail and two very different consequences
Stuck open, a thermostat never lets the engine warm; stuck closed, it destroys it. The signs of each and what diagnostics shows.
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Mountains: how not to burn the brakes descending or cook the engine climbing
A mountain road loads a car unlike a motorway. Engine braking, overheating, and what to check before you go.
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The cooling fan will not run: where to look
The fan is the last line of defence against overheating. How to test it in two minutes and why the fan itself is usually innocent.
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The water pump: the signs that appear before the engine boils
A water pump rarely fails suddenly — it weeps and whines in advance. The warning signs and why it is replaced with the timing belt.
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Burning smell in a car: eight sources and how to tell them apart by scent
Burning wiring, a slipping clutch, oil on the manifold, and overheated pads all smell different. Diagnosis by the character of the smell, when it appears, and what diagnostics shows alongside.
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Engine overheating: what to do in the first two minutes, and why the gauge lies
Overheating is one of the few cases where stopping correctly matters more than diagnosing correctly. The action sequence, six causes, and why the dashboard needle should not be trusted.
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Summer heat: why cars overheat in traffic specifically, and what to do beforehand
Cooling systems are designed with margin, but that margin is eaten away over years: a clogged radiator, old coolant, a fan that engages late. What to check in May so you are not on the hard shoulder in July.