Immediately
- Turn the air conditioning off and the cabin heater on full — it dumps engine heat
- Pull over as soon as it is safe and switch the engine off
- Do not open the radiator cap while it is hot — it will scald you
- Open the bonnet and let it cool for at least thirty minutes
- Do not keep driving to 'just get home' — that is how head gaskets fail
Common causes
- Low coolant from a leaking hose, radiator or water pump
- A failed thermostat stuck closed
- A radiator fan or fan clutch that has stopped working
- A blocked or corroded radiator core
- Water pump impeller failure
- A head gasket already leaking combustion gases into the cooling system
Why Gold Coast summers expose it
Cooling systems that cope all winter fail in January. Thirty-plus degree days, air conditioning running constantly and traffic crawling along the highway is the worst case for any radiator, and it finds every weak hose and tired thermostat.
A coolant flush every couple of years and a pressure test before summer is cheap insurance against a much larger bill.
Get it tested before you drive it again
We pressure test the system at your address, find the actual leak or failed component, and replace radiators, water pumps, thermostats, hoses and fans on site. Call 0434 728 765 rather than risking the drive.
Broken down right now? We come to you on the roadside, 7 days.