

You can then have a look for any obvious leaks in the coolant reservoir or hoses, although these may be extremely hard to see. Once the pressure has subsided, you can remove the cap fully, check the level of the coolant and top up as required. Once the engine has cooled down, slowly open the coolant reservoir cap, allowing any remaining pressure to be released. If you try and open the coolant reservoir or the radiator cap whilst the engine is still hot, you run the risk of allowing hot, pressurised steam to blow out and burn you. It is far more sensible to stop your car and let the engine cool down.īefore you check anything, it’s vitally important that you let the engine cool down for at least thirty minutes first.

If you continue to drive, ignoring the warning light, you are submitting your engine to temperatures that could cause permanent damage, resulting in expensive repairs. As we’ve said, the coolant light is telling you that your engine’s temperature is getting too high and this requires your immediate attention. As coolant travels around your engine, there are various places where it can leak from, such as hoses, the water pump or the radiator.įirst and foremost, you should stop your car as soon as it’s safe to do so. These leaks can be a serious problem, as they’re not easily diagnosed and easily fixed. Low coolant levels are usually caused by leaks, either in the reservoir or somewhere in the lines. There may be a floating sensor in your coolant tank that triggers the warning light when the level drops. The most common reason for the coolant light to become illuminated is simply that the coolant level is too low. What causes the coolant warning light to come on? When this process fails, the engine temperature increases and triggers the coolant warning light. In order to keep your engine from welding itself together, coolant is pumped around the engine. The side effect of all these explosions is a huge amount of heat. These explosions move the pistons up and down which, in very simple terms, starts to power your engine.
COOLANT LEVEL LOW VOLVO XC60 SERIES
In order for your car to work, a series of explosions are created in the combustion chamber. If the coolant warning light becomes illuminated on your dashboard as you’re driving along, it’s a certain sign that your engine is overheating.
