Gari ka engine overheat kyun hota hai? Causes, what to do in traffic, and what the repair involves

• Switch the AC off and the heater on full: it pulls heat away from the engine. Uncomfortable, effective
• Pull over safely, keep the engine idling for a minute, then switch off
• Do not open the radiator cap while hot; the steam burns badly
• When cool, check the coolant level in the reservoir and under the cap
• If the level is fine and it still overheats, do not drive on; call for a mechanic or towing

• Low coolant from a slow leak: hose, radiator seam, water pump seal or a cracked reservoir
• Radiator fan not working: fan motor, relay, fuse or the temperature switch
• Thermostat stuck closed: the engine heats fast even on an empty road
• Radiator blocked inside (scale from tap water) or outside (dust, plastic bags on the grille)
• Water pump impeller worn: the coolant does not circulate
• Head gasket failed: white smoke, milky oil, bubbles in the reservoir; the expensive one

Most Pakistani cars run on tap water topped up at every petrol pump. It works until the scale builds inside the radiator and the engine block, and then the car overheats on the first really hot day. A proper coolant mix with distilled water costs little and prevents most of the jobs on this page. Ask the mechanic to flush the system and fill it with coolant, not just water.

There is no fixed rate: the mechanic prices the specific fault on your specific car. A fan relay on a Mehran and a water pump on a Civic are not the same job. What moves the quote:

• Which part failed: a relay or hose is a small job; a radiator or water pump is medium; a head gasket needs the head off, machining and a day or two
• Genuine, Kabuli (used genuine) or local part
• Whether the mechanic comes to you or you tow the car to the workshop
• Flushing and coolant included or not
• Urgency: a Motorway roadside call is priced differently from a booked slot

Post the job on Mechanics4U with the make, model, year, when it overheats (idle, traffic, highway) and whether you see smoke or lose coolant. Mechanics in your city reply with a price for the diagnosis and, once they know the cause, a price for the fix. Ask for parts and labour separately and for the old part back. The 48-hour re-work cover applies if the same fault returns.