How to keep your engine cool and prevent car overheating

*This is a sponsored article by Toyota of Orlando*

What causes car overheating to happen?

Car overheating? Here’s what to do next

You have a dysfunctional radiator. Your vehicle's radiator plays an integral part in the cooling process by actively recycling hot coolant and cooling it down so that it can go back to the engine. Without this consistently cooling the engine, car overheating is sure to happen.
A hose may have a blockage. Blocked hoses mean that coolant can't flow to the engine and keep the temperature at the right place. This can be caused by road debris getting into the hoses of your car's engine or damage caused by an accident or inclement conditions. If this is the issue, an expert Orlando auto service technician should diagnose the issue and replace the hose or remove the debris.
Your water pump is broken. The water pump actively cycles coolant throughout your engine and to the radiator. Without this piece functioning properly, there's no way to avoid car overheating. Let our Orlando Toyota service techs take a peek.
There's a leaky hose somewhere. Broken and worn hoses can happen with age or from previous damage to your car. Hoses in these conditions need to be replaced in order to avoid car overheating.

Pull over immediately. If your check engine light comes on or your engine starts smoking, pull over immediately to a safe spot.
Rev the engine. After pulling over, put your Orlando Toyota inpark and pop the hood. Try revving the engine while in park to force some heat from the engine compartment.
Check the coolant levels. Overheating could be caused by a lack of coolant in your vehicle. Look for the container in the top left orright hand corner of the engine compartment and inspect it from the side to see where the liquid level is. If it looks low, you can make a 50/50 mixture of water and coolant to get you by until you're able to see a service technician.
Don't touch or inspect the radiator. With the car overheating, the radiator is likely to reach high temperatures and is unsafe to touch.
Call a tow truck. If all else fails and your Orlando Toyota doesn't seem to be cooling down, it's best to call roadside assistance and have your vehicle towed to the nearest auto servicecenter for a repair.