Why Does a Car Overheat? If you didn’t know, hot temperatures might not be the sole cause of your car’s overheating. There are a number of problems having to do with the engine or the cooling system that may be the actual causes of your troubles. 1. Motor oil The motor oil is responsible for the lubrication of parts, but also for removing any excess heat that the engine may have generated. This is why if the oil is low, the car may be running hotter than it should. 2. Coolant Every car has a cooling system - it is of vital importance. The purpose of the cooling system is to keep the temperature of the engine down. If there is an issue with it (such as a leak, a pump malfunction or a blockage), the coolant will not be circulating properly. Problems with the cooling system are not restricted to just the summer - they may appear in cold weather as well. You might be asking yourself why. Simple - the coolant inside the reservoir can freeze and, consequently, circulation would be