It's Getting Hot in Herr

It's that time again. The time where we all work out and diet like crazy trying to get bikini ready by summer. I mean, who doesn't love that summer heat?

Your car. Your car doesn't always like summer heat. So, today's post is about what to look for and what to do if your car overheats.

Here is the number 1 sign your car is overheating - smoke coming from the hood of your car. Regardless of how advanced your car is, this is a telltale sign. Some cars will have check engine lights that come on, but some don't and if you fall into the latter category, then this is what you'll see:



See, even Nicole Richie and her Beemer can overheat, which means you can too.

The most common reason you car will overheat is because the coolant/antifreeze is low. So the other thing to pay attention to, if you'd like to avoid having your car smoke, is your temperature gauge. This does not always pick up if your engine is overheating, but is another good indicator.

A little note about antifreeze- check to see if your parked car is leaving any puddles of it. If you find liquid that's clear and scentless, like water, than it's probably a result of the AC and is fine. However, if the liquid has a greenish tint, then you've got a problem because now you're leaking antifreeze or coolant. Just think of it as ice cubes in your water. If you are leaking this stuff, then there is a high possibility that you could overheat. Regardless of whether or not you're leaking it, it's always a good idea to frequently check the coolant levels in your car during the summer to avoid the smoking car sitch.

So, what do you do if you're on the road and you haven't done any of this stuff and your car starts to smoke?

Step 1: Pull over and turn off the engine.

Step 2: If your hood is steaming DO NOT OPEN THE HOOD, IT WILL BE HOOOOTTTTT!

Step 3: After you've waited until it's cooled a little, grab a rag or something to protect your hands, when opening the hood, which might still be toasty.

Step 4: In order to check if your car is steaming because of overheating, check the coolant levels in your coolant tank first. You do this by locating the coolant reservoir, which looks like this:



Step 5: After locating the coolant reservoir, you'll be able to see lines that say full and low, etc. If the coolant level is low, then you're probably overheating.

Step 6: To be sure, use your rag and CAREFULLY unscrew the Radiator cap. If you do this too fast and it hasn't cooled down all the way then you could burn yourself with steam. If you're unsure, wait longer.

Step 7: Once you've unscrewed the radiator cap, look into the radiator and see if you can see any coolant. If you can't, then you are definitely overheating and need to add some coolant.

Step 8: If you're fortunate enough to be close to a gas station or at a home that has another car, check the type of coolant you need in your owner's manual, then go and pick up some coolant.

Step 9: Be sure it's properly diluted to 50% water 50% coolant. You can dilute it yourself or buy premixed coolant.

Step 10: If there is no coolant in your radiator you can add it directly to the radiator.

Step 11: Screw the cap back on and you're done.

Step 12: If you are close to a gas station and you've checked and you know your car is overheating, you can wait for the engine to cool a little and then start up the car again WITH THE HEAT BLASTING. This seems counterintuitive, but your heating and cooling system is directly tied to the fan that cools your engine and when the heat is blasting cooler air is circulating through your engine. This will allow you to limp slowly to a nearby gas station, but not too far.

There you have it! Pulling over with a steaming car will undoubtedly attract a cute, chivalrous man who will feel compelled to stop and help you. When he does, let him take off his shirt first before you impress him with your overheating knowledge of coolant ;)

Just Say "No"

We're women, we should be very good at saying no. We say no to that creepy guy that asks for our number, we say no to any fashion trends that bring back the 80's and we say no to the weird telemarketers that somehow get our numbers even though we're on the do not call list. But, we still seem to have trouble saying no to our mechanic.

Since we already talked about oil yesterday, we'll stay on that topic. Mechanics are notorious for ripping off women. The moment they see or hear you they start scheming. If you go in for a basic oil change, stick to that plan! We've all been there. They ask you if you want the super oil, the additives, the awesome filters...and then all of a sudden your $30 oil change turns into a hundred-dollar tab. But they make it sound so important; these upgrades will save your car's life! But like the extra pounds that extra krispy kreme donut will surely add to your figure, the fancy oil change add-ons just aren't necessary.

Your car can make do and run just fine with a basic oil change. You don't need anything else, so don't let them make you feel stupid and bully you into saying yes. Stay firm and say no, regardless of what it is. Also, when the Jiffy Lube dude shows you the air filter he pulled out of your car, don't agree to buy a new one. It's a filter, it's supposed to look dirty. Also, Jiffy Lube's slogan is "Every 3,000 miles". However, being the savvy car owner, you check the owner's manual first. Many cars can go 5,000 miles before an oil change. It's like those directions on shampoo bottles of "lather, rinse, repeat". Who actually "repeats"?!?!?! That only makes you go through shampoo twice as fast.

But what if I have a good, trusted mechanic? Great! In that case, he shouldn't be asking you if you'd like to upgrade your oil or want you to add a super transmission cleaner, etc. Anything along those lines, is a definite indication of a scam. However, if it's something along the lines of them finding something else wrong with your car while they're rummaging around in there, you should still say no, at least for the moment.

They could very well be right, but you should definitely get a second or third opinion, if not to confirm you have an additional problem, then at least to get comparable estimates so you can go back well-informed to your original mechanic. A good resource to look into is www.repairpal.com, which lets you find what reasonable repair rates are, depending on your location. Even perusing some of the reviews at Yelp.com can give you a better idea of a place, if you're shopping around for a repair shop.

So remember, don't be a victim to sleazy mechanics and clever marketing techniques. Just say no!

Fluids

Sorry to disappoint those of you with dirty minds, but I am talking about fluids in your car. Not as sexy but just as entertaining. Ok, maybe not entertaining, how about useful?

The first fluid we're going to cover is oil. No, we're not going to talk about changing our own oil, I've done it and it's messy. However, you do need to know if our oil is low and if you don't have a brand spanking new car, then you'll have to do this the old fashioned way.

Now, there are a few advantages to doing this. First it looks like you know something about cars because it requires you to pop the hood of your car and this, of course, will always impress the guys. Need an example? How about Megan Fox in Transformers, see below.



And yes, I do suggest doing this in a belly shirt in the middle of summer because oil does not come out of clothes. And here we go:

Step 1: Be sure to have your car on level ground, that way you'll get an accurate reading, then pop the hood of your car. If you've never done this, there's usually a latch in the center underneath. It will either slide to the right or the left in order to open the hood. After the hood's released, prop the hood up with the arm that usually resides on the side or in front of the hood.

Step 2: Grab an old towel you won't use again for showering or cooking. Paper towel will work as well.

Step 3: Locate the dipstick that is usually near the engine oil cap. All cars are different, but see picture below, you'll be looking for something similar to this.



Step 4: Once you've located the dipstick, pull it out and wipe it clean with the towel. You should see at the bottom of the dip stick something that looks like this:



The X's are sometimes dots or the stick might actually say full or low.

Step 5: Place the dipstick back in its place, then pull it out again and check to see where the oil line lies. if it is below the X's then this means you need about a quart of oil, otherwise you're fine.

Step 6: Check your owner's manual to see what kind of oil your car takes, buy oil, then pour a quart of it into the tank where the engine oil cap is. Using a funnel for this makes life cleaner and easier. When you're done DO NOT FORGET TO SCREW THE CAP BACK ON!

And you're done. Remove the arm stand and shut the hood. Wasn't that easy? Especially given when the alternative is having your car start smoking and break down on the side of the road...leading to potentially expensive repairs and towing. And let's face it...most tow truck drivers...not hot.