Firefighters battle flames after a car fire on a remote Spanish country road.
How to keep your car cool and efficient this summer in Spain.
Spain sizzles. Don’t let your car fry.
Credit: Frame Stock Footage, Shutterstock
Spain’s brutal summer heat wrecks car engines every year. Discover the single most common overheating mistake drivers make — and how to protect your car before it melts down on the motorway like so many already have.
Why cars overheat in Spain’s summer heat (and how to stop it)
As Spain’s summer sun turns motorways into molten runways, your car could be heading for meltdown faster than you can say “roadside recovery.” With temperatures regularly topping 40C, your engine is working overtime to keep cool while you sit in glorious air-conditioned bliss. But under the bonnet? It’s pure hellfire. Most cars can cope with this, but every year some burn. Anyone who’s been through this will tell you, it’s quite a shock.
Why engines overheat: The brutal temperatures inside your car
Your engine burns fuel in rapid-fire explosions, generating extreme heat — over 2,000°C inside the cylinders — as pistons pump and exhaust gases blast out at hundreds of degrees.
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Without a cooling system, your engine would seize up, crack, or simply die. The unsung hero here? Coolant: a 50/50 cocktail of water and antifreeze, swirling through hoses, absorbing heat, and releasing it through the radiator while fans blast it into the summer air. When this system works, you glide along happily. When it fails, you’re stranded in a cloud of steam on the hard shoulder.
What causes overheating?
In theory, your car’s cooling system is a sealed loop. But small cracks, leaks or faulty seals allow coolant to escape or contaminants to sneak in. Oil mixing with coolant? That’s head gasket failure territory — and a 2,000 euro garage bill waiting to happen.
Low coolant? A loose radiator cap? Worn hoses? Even a dodgy temperature sensor can tip your car into major crisis mode. And in the summer heat, when the mercury soars, small problems become big ones fast.
Warning signs: Your car is screaming for help
Spain’s summer roads are littered with cars flashing warning lights like Christmas trees. Here’s what to watch for:
Temperature warning light (looks like a thermometer in waves): Your engine’s cooking. Pull over immediately. Stop. Let it cool. Get coolant and add it. If you can’t, it might be safer to call roadside recovery than to risk it.
Oil pressure light (oil can symbol): Low oil pressure means serious risk of engine damage. Turn off immediately.
Battery warning light: Faulty alternator or belt could stop your cooling fan. Get it checked.
Coolant leaks: Puddles of sweet-smelling green, yellow or orange liquid under your car? Coolant is escaping. Fix it immediately or risk and engine fire, mid-journey.
Prevention: Keep your car cool this summer
Check under the car: Before every drive, glance for leaks. Spotting trouble early could save you a fortune.
Inspect hoses and belts: Look for cracks or soft spots. Weak hoses burst under pressure. Better to spend 30 euros on a new hose now than 6,000 euros on an overheated engine later.
Top up your coolant: Always use a 50/50 antifreeze-water mix. Never top up with just water — you’ll dilute protection against both heat and corrosion.
Radiator cap check: A simple rubber seal failure can allow coolant to escape as steam. Replace a dodgy cap for a few quid.
Flush the system: Over time, coolant breaks down. Flush every 50,000 miles or as recommended in your manual. Cloudy coolant may mean oil contamination — a sign of head gasket failure.
Emergency fix: Quick but temporary
If you’re caught out with rising temperatures, products like BlueDevil Engine Cool can act as a temporary stopgap. But make no mistake: these are plasters, not cures. Get professional repairs ASAP.
Summer driving tips: efficiency equals survival
Avoid heavy traffic when possible: Stop-start driving strains the cooling system.
Turn off A/C during climbs: It reduces engine load and heat.
Don’t idle for long: The cooling system works better when driving airflow assists the radiator.
Watch your dashboard: That little temperature needle is your guardian angel.
And don’t ignore your tyres!
Hot tarmac, long journeys, and under-inflated tyres are a blowout waiting to happen. The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light is there for a reason. An under-inflated tyre wears faster, burns more fuel, and can become lethal at motorway speeds.
Spain’s summer: Brutal for cars, not just humans
As the country bakes and tourists fry themselves on beaches, your car faces its own battle. High temperatures don’t just threaten the engine. Electronics, brakes, tyres, and even your catalytic converter (which can overheat too) are under strain. Catalytic converter warning lights? Ignore them too long, and you could be shelling out thousands.
The final word: Treat your car like your skin
You wouldn’t bake yourself under the Spanish sun without sun cream and water. Surely not… Your car needs the same TLC: cooling, hydration (coolant), and regular checks.
Fail to look after it, and you’ll be spending your summer watching the world go by from the hard shoulder.
Now you know. Stay cool. Drive smart. And don’t let Spain’s sun turn your car into a four-wheeled furnace.
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