The summer is a wonderful time. The heat is simply great...unless it does a number on your car. If your car is overheating, getting the issue figured out is critical. Why? Heat destroys engines and that will eventually destroy your bank account.

The internal combustion engine is a marvelous bit of engineering. Really think about what that name is describing. "Combustion" is the key word and is entirely accurate. The engine produces power to the wheels of your vehicle through small explosions. In most cases, this occurs when gasoline and air are introduced to a spark. This sets off a small explosion that pushes a piston down and that turns a shaft. These explosions happen many times a second and each produces a lot of heat. The level of heat is sufficient to melt parts of the engine if the heat is not removed. This is why any overheating problem needs to be identified and dealt with quickly.

The first step is to check the easiest thing. Wait for your car to cool down and then pop the radiator cap. Do you have sufficient coolant in the system? It sounds simple, but it is often the problem particularly on older cars. If you are low on coolant, do not simply add water. Take the car and get a full coolant change. Cooling systems require a combined water and engineered coolant mixture to function properly. Now is as good a time as any to get yours up to snuff.

The second issue to check is the water pump. A water pump that is going bad will usually let you know by sounding like a punk band playing in a blender. It isn't pretty. If the pump seems alright, check the belt powering it for any wear issues. A belt that looks fine, can still slip so look for a soft, flat shiny surface. If none of these issues appear to be present, it is time to move to the next issue.

The thermostat is a misunderstood part of the coolant system. It is not there to cool the car. It performs the opposite function. Why would you want to heat up your engine? Well, the engine needs to be running between a certain temperature range. When you first start your car, the engine is too cold. To heat it up, the thermostat cuts down the flow of coolant through the engine. When the engine heats up, the thermostat stops restricting the flow from the radiator. Thermostats go bad occasionally, which can result in the flow of coolant being restricted. In a warmed up engine, this can easily lead to overheating. The only solution is to replace the thermostat.

The final step is to check the pressure cap on the radiator. If it malfunctions, it will let pressurized coolant escape while the car is running. This will mess up the balance of the coolant system and will definitely lead to overheating. You can just run the engine with the hood open and look for any coolant escaping. It will usually make a sound as well as the pressurized material tries to squeeze through the gap in the gasket. Fortunately, a new pressure cap costs under $20 on most cars.

If none of these issues do the trick, you need to go see a mechanic. The coolant system runs through the engine, so there could be a host of problems. Diagnosing the exact problem will require some expensive testing mechanisms, thus the need for the mechanic.