Car Overheating in Riyadh Summer: What to Do in the First Five Minutes

The first five minutes

Turn the air conditioning off and the cabin heater on full. It feels absurd at 47 degrees, but the heater core is a second radiator and it pulls real heat out of the engine. Move to the hard shoulder, out of traffic, and switch off the engine. Do not keep driving to the next exit, because the distance between a hot engine and a destroyed engine is very short.

• Air conditioning off, heater on full, windows down
• Pull over as soon as it is safe and switch off
• Hazards on, and get out on the passenger side away from traffic

Do not open the radiator cap

A hot cooling system is pressurised well above boiling point. Opening the cap releases that pressure and the coolant flashes to steam in your face. Every summer this causes serious burns. Wait at least thirty minutes, and if you cannot see the coolant level in the translucent expansion tank from outside, wait longer.

What causes it here

Riyadh summer exposes what a milder climate hides. The common causes, roughly in order:

• Low coolant from a slow leak nobody noticed in winter
• A radiator fan that has stopped, which shows up in traffic but not at speed
• A blocked radiator, often packed with sand and dust
• A failed thermostat stuck closed
• A water pump or a head gasket, which is the expensive end

When it can be driven and when it cannot

If the temperature comes fully back to normal after cooling, the coolant level is correct and there is no puddle under the car, a short careful drive to a nearby workshop is usually survivable. Stop at the first sign of the needle climbing again.

• Steam or white smoke: do not drive, call a truck
• Coolant on the ground: do not drive
• Oil that looks like milky coffee on the dipstick: do not drive, this suggests a head gasket
• The needle climbs again within minutes: do not drive

Waiting safely

Do not sit in a stationary car in Riyadh summer with the engine off. Cabin temperature climbs dangerously fast. Wait behind the barrier in shade if there is any, keep water with you, and share your live location so the driver finds you without a phone call. A tow inside Riyadh starts from SAR 150 and usually arrives in about 30 minutes.