When your engine temperature warning light appears on your dashboard, it is telling you that your engine is overheating.
When this happens, take a deep breath. Now is not the time to freak out, as there are steps you now need to take to cool down your vehicle's engine.
What To Do When Your Engine Is Overheating
If your vehicle is displaying the engine temperature warning light or is saying it by message, light or gauge, you need to turn the cabin heater to maximum heat range and set the blower motor to high.
Turn off all non-essential features, like the heat, A/C, radio etc. This will help reduce the load your engine needs to produce.
Relieving the engine from extra work will help circulate the remaining coolant through the maximum heat transfer surfaces.
For safety reasons, pull your vehicle over and wait. Do not open the hood of your vehicle for at least 20-30 minutes.
Any steam coming from the hood of your vehicle can cause serious injuries.
While you wait, this is the perfect time to call for a tow truck and have your vehicle towed to your service department for a proper diagnoses and repair.
Always take your dashboard light signals seriously and following these steps during an overheating engine will help your vehicle while keeping you safe.
