Common Causes of Overheating

When a vehicle is overheating, the problem could be any one of a number of things. Listed below are some probable causes of what could cause a vehicle to overheat. Remember, all these things will need to be checked, and that takes time. Our technicians check:

1. Faulty radiator pressure cap.
2. Defective radiator.
3. Bad thermostat housing gasket.
4. Cracked or deteriorated radiator.
5. Cracked or deteriorated heater hoses.
6. Defective heater core.
7. Faulty heater water control valve.
8. Defective water pump seal or gasket.
9. Rusted out core hole plugs.
10. Damaged coolant reserve tank.
11. Bad cylinder head gasket.
12. Cracked cylinder head, manifold or block.
13. Low coolant level.
14. Low coolant protection (low boiling point.)
15. Water used as coolant (low boiling point.)
16. Cooling system capacity inadequate for load being carried or towed.
17. Air trapped in cooling system.
18. Clogged coolant passage in engine block.
19. Excessive use of A/C while vehicle is parked or in stop-and-go traffic.
20. Retarded ignition timing.
21. Sticking manifold heat control valve.
22. Clogged exhaust system.
23. Low engine oil level.
24. Excessive engine friction.
25. Dragging brakes.
26. Missing or broken shroud.

At Menlo Park Chevron, we have certified technicians who will perform a professional inspection of the system, providing you with a complete analysis of the current conditions and the estimated cost of repair.