One of the most troublesome trouble that can appear on a Toyota 4Runner is to see its temperature gauge increasing. Actually, a gauge that rises above 90/100° is commonly an indicator that your Toyota 4Runner is heating up. If you are in this case, you took the good decision to click on this link because we will help you to identify the source and understand the trigger. To do this, in the beginning, we will look into the explanations for engine overheating and the hazards you run, and secondly, what answers are available to you to get rid of this phenomenon.

causes-overheatingtoyota-4runner

Why is my Toyota 4Runner overheating? What are the risks?

A Toyota 4Runner that heats up is an indication of a major problem. You should not think that you will handle it later on because, if you do, you risk irreversibly injuring the engine of your car. In actual fact, if your Toyota 4Runner heats up, and you keep driving, you simply risk the breakage of your car engine. An internal combustion engine works through combustion, which triggers heat. This heat must be minimized because it can damage the engine parts. If you see white smoke starting to emerge out of your engine and you experience a loss of power, your Toyota 4Runner is heating up and you are injuring your engine, you must stop.

What are the causes of an heating up Toyota 4Runner ?

  • A leak in the cooling system

    If you repeatedly run out of coolant and refill your system on a regular basis, you might have a leak, so have your system examined for leaks. It is also plausible that it is your cylinder head gasket that is faulty, in which particular case you should find “mayonnaise” in the area of your engine oil cap.
  • A dead calorstat
    The role of this component is to switch on the engine cooling only when the engine is at optimum temperature, if it is damaged, the coolant will never reach the engine and your Toyota 4Runner will heat up. Check its state.
  • A blocked radiator
    Even though this circumstance is rarer, if your radiator is very dirty, or clogged with impurities, its cooling fins will no longer achieve their role and on hot days your Toyota 4Runner might overheat.
  • A fan that no longer operates
    Remember to check the state and operation of your fan, furthermore to the air produced by the speed of your Toyota 4Runner, it has a decisive role in cooling your engine when it has to be the relay when you drive slower. In the instance of a breakdown and travelling at low speed, your car will obviously heat up.
  • A damaged water pump
    To finish , it is plausible that your water pump is at the end of its life. In actual fact, its role is to circulate the coolant throughout the circuit, in the case of failure this operation stops and your Toyota 4Runner heats up. This might be caused by a faulty belt that has harmed your pump. If this is your case, go to your garage.

How can I resolve the problem of an heating up Toyota 4Runner?

Furthermore to having examined all the parts that may be causing your Toyota 4Runner to heat up, you will have to make the right moves to limit the risks in case your car gets hot and you have no other option than to go home, or to go to your repair shop.
Here are a few tips if your car is overheating:

  • Reduce your engine speed but not your speed:
    Reducing your engine speed will allow you to limit the heat emitted by the engine. On the other hand, try to stay in 5th gear at 70/80 km/h in order to have a large natural airflow to limit the heating of your Toyota 4Runner.
  • Stop the engine of your Toyota 4Runner if you go above 100°:
    Don’t be in a rush, in a case of overheating, it is better to take breaks and let the engine cool down rather than pushing it and risking breakage.
  • Turn on your heater:
    Turning on the heater will allow you to evacuate some of the heat from the engine block, it is an useful solution. And conversely, turn off your air conditioner which generates heat.

Whenever you have any additional questions about the Toyota 4Runner, do not hesitate to consult our Toyota 4Runner category.