Florida heat and stop-and-go traffic are hard on a cooling system. Here's what's likely going on — and how to handle it safely.
Your temperature gauge is climbing toward the red, or steam is coming from under the hood — and in Pinellas County traffic on a summer afternoon, that's not a rare event. Here's what usually causes it and what to do right now.
The temperature gauge climbing past the middle mark is the clearest sign, but also watch for: a sweet smell (leaking coolant), steam or smoke from under the hood, the AC blowing warmer than usual, or a "check engine" or temperature warning light.
1. Turn off the AC and turn on the heat. This sounds backwards, but running the heater pulls heat away from the engine and toward the cabin — it genuinely helps in the short term.
2. Find a safe spot to pull over as soon as possible. Continuing to drive an overheating engine risks warping the cylinder head — a repair that costs far more than a tow or a mobile service call.
3. Turn off the engine and let it cool. Popping the hood (carefully, and only once you're sure no steam is actively venting) helps heat escape faster. This can take 20–30 minutes.
4. Never open the radiator cap while hot. Pressurized, near-boiling coolant can cause serious burns. Wait until the engine is fully cool.
5. Check the coolant level once cool — but don't just top it off and drive on. If the level is low, there's a leak somewhere, and driving further without finding it risks doing it again, potentially with worse damage.
If you don't have coolant on hand, aren't sure what's causing it, or the car won't restart after cooling down, it's safer to call for roadside assistance than to guess. Pinellas Roadside Rescue provides 24/7 mobile roadside assistance throughout Pinellas County — we can assess what's going on at your location and help you figure out the safest next step, whether that's a fluid top-off or arranging a tow to a shop.
Stop-and-go traffic reduces airflow through the radiator, which the cooling system relies on at speed. Combined with Florida's ambient heat, this can push a system that's already low on coolant or has a minor fault into overheating.
Turn off the AC, turn on the heater, and find the safest place to pull over as soon as possible. Turn off the engine and let it cool for 20–30 minutes before checking anything under the hood.
You shouldn't. Continuing to drive with the temperature gauge in the red risks warping the cylinder head or blowing a head gasket — repairs that cost significantly more than stopping and getting help.
Wait until steam has stopped venting and never open the radiator cap while the engine is hot — pressurized coolant near boiling point can cause serious burns.
Overheating and not sure what's wrong? We'll come assess it, 24/7.