What Do I Do When my Car is Overheating? | Carter Subaru Service FAQs

It's a sight far less common thanks to modern technology - an overheated car, pulled off to the side of the road, hood up, with an enormous cloud of white steam billowing into the sky. Back in the days of cast-iron engines, which could endure a tremendous amount of heat, you could let the engine sit, add more coolant, and keep on trucking once the engine had cooled down. Today's modern engines are made with aluminium to exacting specifications to operate at maximum efficiency - but they fail rapidly when they overheat. If you see smoke coming from the engine compartment or tailpipe, or the engine temp warning light is on in your Subaru, it's time to bring it to Carter Subaru Ballard for a fix.

Can I Safely Drive my Car if it's Overheating?

We don't recommend it. If your Subaru is overheating, operating the engine at those temperatures is very risky. Just a few minutes of those extreme temps could lead to damage far more extensive than the cooling issue that likely caused your overheating problem in the first place. Accomplished auto repair pros are welcome to attempt topping off the coolant and proceeding to a garage for repairs - but that could total the engine if not done properly. For this reason, we recommend having an overheating Subaru towed to the Carter Subaru Ballard Service Center.