If your MINI Cooper overheats every time that you drive it, Lucas Auto Care needs to take a good look at the cooling system. Generally, constant overheating is caused by a serious problem with the cooling system. This being said, your engine may also be overheating because you have failed to maintain your MINI. Let’s talk more about the causes of an overheating engine below.
Dead Water Pump
The water pump is used to circulate the coolant through the engine. If it is malfunctioning, you may have poor coolant circulation or no coolant circulation. An engine without coolant quickly rises above its maximum temperature, which is 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Replacing the faulty pump solves the problem.
Dead Thermostat
The water pump needs the thermostat to release the coolant into it. When this doesn’t happen because the thermostat has died, your MINI has no coolant in the engine. Consequently, the engine will overheat very quickly after you start it. This is definitely a sign that your MINI needs a new thermostat.
Leaking Coolant
Both the water pump and thermostat can start to leak coolant as they age. The cooling system can also leak the coolant out of the radiator, the overflow reservoir, the radiator hoses, and the system seals and gaskets. If you see coolant spots on the garage floor, have your MINI towed to our shop.
Clogged System
Unfortunately, your cooling system can also get clogged if it is not flushed every 30,000 miles. The radiator hoses can get clogged and the radiator itself can get clogged if it is filled with sediment. This is a common problem with older automobiles. Another thing that can get clogged is the radiator’s air inlets.
Radiator Damage
Speaking of corrosion and clogged inlets, if your radiator is damaged in any way, it’s possible that it is not cooling off the engine coolant before the water pump recirculates it through the engine. If you have hot coolant flowing through the engine, the engine temperature is going to rise until the engine overheats.
Poor Maintenance
Finally, we mentioned above that poor vehicle maintenance can cause your engine to overheat all the time. This includes the coolant and cooling system flush and refill we talked about above as well as regular oil changes. Your MINI Cooper’s engine can run too hot if it has old and dirty motor oil circulating through it.
Call Lucas Auto Care in Cypress, TX, today to schedule a service appointment for your MINI Cooper if you are having problems with the engine overheating. We recommend you have your automobile towed to our shop rather than driving it when the engine is too hot.
