How Long Can a Car Overheat Before Damage? (Answered)

Overheating can be a serious problem if you don’t take the right measures at the right time. Overheating can not only cause internal problems but it can also cause different sorts of external problems. Overheating doesn’t only put your vehicle at risk but also it can risk the life of both passenger and the driver. Therefore, you should always be careful about the overheating issues on your vehicle.

In this article, we are going to discuss a similar topic regarding overheating which is how long can a car overheat before being damaged. Stick to the last word of this article in order to get your answer.

How long can a car overheat before damage?

Well, you will get fifty to sixty seconds before you damage your car after it gets overheated. Sometimes the time period can be more than that depending on the durability of your car. However, on average your car can overheat for forty seconds before it is damaged.

Overheating can actually do serious damage to your vehicle. In addition, overheating can do permanent damage to your main engine. That is why you will need to keep a close eye on whether your vehicle is getting overheated or not. The time period of overheating before the car actually gets damaged depends on various factors.

If your car doesn’t have the proper amount of coolant or antifreeze then due to overheating the coolant system will fail quickly. As a result, the engine of your vehicle will get damaged in no time. Also, an empty coolant reservoir can actually decrease the time period of your car getting damaged due to overheating issues. The main reason behind an empty coolant reservoir is because of a potential leak.

The build-up in the water pump can be another factor for which your car can get damaged quickly due to overheating issues. The water pump circulates the coolant throughout the engine which is why any buildup of dust can put a barrier for the coolant to move.

The coolant is a very important lubricant for the vehicle in order to save the vehicle from damages caused by overheating. Not only does it save the engine from overheating but also it buys you more time before the engine gets damaged due to overheating issues. Therefore, you should keep a close eye on the coolant level of your vehicle in order to save your vehicle from damages caused by overheating.

Can running an overheating car damage a car engine?

Yes, running an overheating car can actually damage the engine of that car. As the car has already started to overheat it will affect the coolant level on the engine of that car. If the coolant’s reservoir is low with coolants then running an overheating car can put pressure on the engine which can overheat the engine due to the absence of coolants. As the main task of the coolants is to control the temperature of the engine and make sure that the engine doesn’t get overheated.

Also, running an overheating car can create fire accidents on your engine. As the temperature of the engine is controlled by the thermostat which is why the thermostat can fail quickly if it receives excess heat from the running car. Thus, the engine can catch fire due to the failure of the thermostat. Therefore, you shouldn’t run an overheating car as it can damage the car engine.

What happens if you keep driving an overheated car?

There are many scenarios that can occur if you keep driving an overheated car. Most of the scenarios will be based on the engine because driving an overheated car mainly damages the engine. Below we have discussed some of the scenarios that can happen if you keep driving an overheated car:

Failed thermostat:

The thermostat is an important part of the engine. As the thermostat controls the temperature of the engine, therefore, overheating issues can damage the thermostat. If the thermostat gets damaged then it will not be able to control the temperature of the engine. As a result, running an overheated car will damage the engine completely.

Radiator issues:

If you run your overheated car then it can cause damage to the radiators. The radiators and the fans help to control the temperature of the engine. Therefore, excess heat from external sources can hamper the temperature control ability of the radiator.

Expanded hose:

If there is coolant in the hose and if you start to run your overheated car then the heat might boil the antifreeze. The hot coolants will expand the hose that will create pressure and the boiling coolants will try to break free all points of the hose.  Eventually, the hot coolants will travel through the different parts of the engine. As a result, the hot coolant will damage the important parts of the engine.

Cylinder issues:

The cylinder parts or the cylinder head can boil under excess heat. As the cylinder head is made of aluminium, therefore, under intense heat it will melt. As a result, there will be scenarios like excessive oil burning and misfiring of plugs due to overheating issues.

At what temperature does engine damage occur? How many times can a car overheat before damage?

Well, the damage to the engine occurs when the temperature reaches more than 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  Also, your engine is in an overheating situation when the temperature reaches above 230 degrees Fahrenheit.

The temperature at which the overheating issues will occur can vary on different vehicles depending on the durability of different engines. However, on average the temperature at which the damage takes place due to overheating issues is 243 degrees Fahrenheit.

Based on the opinion from the experts, there is no exact number on how many times a car can overheat before the damage. However, you will get some time before your engine gets damaged after it gets overheated. In addition, most of the time can be for a minimum of 30 to 60 seconds before the engine gets damaged.

But it is recommended by the experts that you should take immediate action after you have sensed that your car has started to overheat. You should stop running your overheated car as it can damage the engine. The heat from running an overheated car can boil the antifreeze of the engine which can later damage the sensitive parts of the engine. Also, the head gasket can blow up if you don’t take immediate measures if your car starts to overheat.

How do I know if my engine is damaged from overheating?

There are a lot of signs that your car will show if your engine is damaged from overheating. First of all, you will need to check if the hood of your car is overheated or not. It is completely normal for the hood of the car to be hot but if it has become excessively hot then it is the sign of a damaged engine. Also, the engine light on your dashboard will turn completely red if your engine gets damaged from overheating. However, sometimes the light cannot be believed as it also turns red based on the temperature of the coolants.

Your engine will make some noise if it gets damaged. As the engine oil of the engine will not be able to do its process of moving the parts of the engine. Therefore, the engine will make some ticking noise if it gets damaged due to overheating issues.

What should I do if my car is overheating?

If your car is overheating then you have to take some preventive measures. But the most important thing is that you have to take those preventive measures as early as possible. Some of the preventive measures are explained below:

Check coolant level:

This is one of the important tasks if you want to save your car from overheating. As the coolant keeps the temperature of the engine low, therefore, you should check the level of the coolant before starting your car.

Check the thermostat:

Before starting your car check the status of the thermostat. As the thermostat regulates the temperature of the engine, therefore, it is really important to check if the thermostat is okay or not.

Let the vehicle cool:

This is one of the most important tasks. If your vehicle starts to overheat then you have to let it cool. In addition, you have to stop running your car and let your engine cool. Also, don’t start your car immediately after cooling off, make sure you take your vehicle to the service centre in order to detect any sort of damage.

Final Thoughts:

Well, a car can overheat for 40 to 50 seconds before it gets damaged. The time period can be more than that depending on the engine, however, you should stop running if it starts to overheat. As overheating can damage the coolants as well as your engine.