Nothing can ruin a summer road trip faster than an over-heated engine. But before you boil over, here are some quick tips to bring your car’s temperature (and yours) back down. First, open all your windows and turn off the air-conditioning. Next, turn your heater up full blast and set the fan to its highest speed. This not only dissipates the excess engine heat, it increases the circulation of the coolant. In addition, for the best results, put your car in neutral and rev the engine while the heater is running. Once the car has cooled back down, you can open the hood and check to make sure there is enough coolant, but never do so while the engine is steaming, or you might risk getting severely burnt.

If you find that your car is running hot during the summer and is becoming a habit, it is probably time to have the thermostat replaced. I had one friend who thought he could solve the problem himself and save a few bucks by just taking it out! Wrong! Oh, yeah, it was ok for the summer, but by not having the thermostat replaced, the engine was damaged. It ran too cold in the winter.

Like everything else built into the motor, the engineers in Detroit put the thermostat there for a good reason: namely, to short circuit air flow so that the engine can warm up quickly to its proper operating temperature. It then modulates the flow of the coolant to keep a set temperature.

If the engine runs too cold, the fuel may not (completely) vaporize, and the unburned gasoline can run down the cylinder walls and wash away the oil. This can, in turn, result in the scuffing of the pistons, rings and cylinder bore. Additionally, if the oil doesn’t reach its proper operating heat, the engine friction will increase and blow by. Condensation will also build up in the oil pan instead of boiling off.

Remember, serve your car well, and your car will serve you well for many years to come.