How to diagnose smoking & steaming under the hood of your car.

If your car is smoking from under the hood, here are the steps you can follow to troubleshoot the issue.
#1. Smoking is usually related to engine overheating. Stop driving and turn off the car immediately to avoid catastrophic engine failure.
#2. In some rare cases smoke could be coming from the old car battery, especially if you had many issues with it lately or tried to jump-start it frequently.
#3. Check the temperature gauge to find out if engine temperature is normal or too high.
#4. If necessary, let the car cool down first. Then, carefully open the hood and visually inspect the car for any spilled liquids such as coolant, engine oil, windshield washing fluid, brake fluid, battery acid, etc.
#5. Find the source of leak. Add more coolant if it’s completely gone from the system. You can also use distilled water temporarily. Let the engine cool off sufficiently, and then carefully open the radiator cap. Keep in mind it could still be under hight pressure. Cover it with a rag or towel to avoid getting burnt. Fill up the radiator and the overflow tank. Check if you see liquid leaking anywhere. If there is no leak, then most likely coolant escaped the system through overflow tank as a result of overheating.
#6. Check radiator fan. Both engine and AC system in your car are getting cooled off by passing liquids through the radiator in the front of the car. Normally when you drive fast - radiator gets cooled off by the incoming air. When you stop, the fan turns on to cool the radiator. If your fan is broken and you are not driving fast enough - the engine coolant temperature and AC refrigerant temperature will start rising. As a result - AC will stop blowing hot air, and your engine will start overheating.
To test the radiator fan, make sure the engine temperature is low and turn on the car. Turn on the air conditioner. Look at the radiator fan and make sure it is spinning. If not - it is likely broken, has a blown fuse or damaged wiring.
#5. Check the engine oil. Make sure that the level is good, and that the oil is not burnt, gunky or discolored.

[@charleskosyjana1295]

If you see BLACK SMOKE coming from the hood of your car, get out quickly and call the Fire Department !! Your car is ON FIRE 🔥🔥🔥

[@Tacosloco]

NO

[@RookitMaster]

I thought it meant drive faster

[@xdaydreaminx]

@@RookitMaster I did that with mine smoking white 💀

[@l-crazy-l]

@@xdaydreaminx😂

[@johanperez7682]

mine was burning in literal fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Mika30041975]

Coolant leak could be also due to the hose running from engine to the blower heat system. I got a leak from there. Coolant drips along the hose down to the radiator.

[@DIYtime]

Thanks for sharing.

[@b.g.sowavy406]

How do I fix it

[@Mika30041975]

@@b.g.sowavy406 all you would need are a hose clamp (OD type or a type with the screw, i prefer the one with screw) and a copper pipe, only 3 inche length and 1/2 inch diameter.

[@TradWifeyxo]

Very helpful video. Thank you- I have a honda pilot 2003 and the other day my car wss smoking and my husband refilled the coolant and it was normal for 3 days until this morning it started smoking again. I'm assuming it's a combination of the fan + coolant leak. I have an appointment to bring my car to the dealership on the 10th to get fixed.

[@derpderp3383]

Yeah, mine is leaking steam through front of the grill from the radiator, and heat will stop being hot unless I increase temp, but then eventually that will go cold too after long periods of driving of like 3hrs or so. I haven't had the AC checked and drove over 40,000 miles. I assume it's something related to those fluids in the thin metal tubes. I think they're labeled H and C on the little caps.

[@liquidmccloud6590]

Great explanation 👌 👍

[@DIYtime]

💪🏼

[@user-lk2di2ct5c]

Good info!

[@donxzavier6vevo26]

Thanks

[@kayegordon6206]

Helpful❤

[@Kcrednation]

Very helpful

[@dyardsale5475]

Gave a thumbs up.

[@DIYtime]

👊🏻

[@xKouture]

My kia optima is doing this after a wreck i got in. Im sure its the radiator fan or a blown fuse . Maybe something with the coolant too .

[@SomeIsBest]

Mine was smoking from oil spraying out a bad valve cover gasket.

[@P_double_H]

My 2014 Altima 2.5S is producing white smoke from the radiators at the very front of the car. It only does that when the AC is turned OFF... as soon as I turn the AC ON, the smoke goes away. It;s worth mentioning that the AC system is not cooling at all. And it's also worth mentioning that the engine temperature is normal. It's not the engine overheating.
Could someone kind of speculate as to what could this issue be?

[@milostalic3176]

It could also be a blown head gasket. If you see a coolant boiling it means that head gasket has blown. That was mine case unfortunately

[@h7pubg]

blown out to the exterior?

[@boxing4life410]

How bad was your coolant boiling was it real noticeable

[@milostalic3176]

Yes it was noticeable, you could’ve clearly see the bubbles and a little bit of smoke. We actually fixed it, the place where it blew on the head gasket was barely visible to the naked eye.

[@AB-it8hd]

My radiator hose came off while driving and splashed coolant all over the engine and I think that’s what the smoke was because the engine was hot when coolant exploded everywhere

[@JoseSanchez-df8hb]

Hey was this the case after all?? My radiator hose also popped and threw coolant all over. Now that I swapped it I’m getting smoke

[@AB-it8hd]

@@JoseSanchez-df8hb yeah it will go away if you just wipe with rag and water or just leave engine on/hood up to burn the rest.... the only reason this happened was because I installed new radiator hose with the wrong radiator clamps, I had on the ones you screw on with a screw driver instead the one you need pliers for

[@courtyard3449]

For me there was white smoke turned the car off before car sensor indicated overheating and Coolant was pouring out from what looked like sides of the radiator and behind engine literally pouring and was white smoke radiator hose was replaced too i think how likely do u think this is the case for me? Or how can i check? Thank you

[@kngjojo6944]

⁠@@courtyard3449try a new water pump

[@crysdee461]

What happens if I drove one minute to get home after the car started blowing white smoke?

[@christinabell8187]

Well Explained, Can I use this video in my Car Blog? It will surely help others.

[@DIYtime]

You are free to add it, as long as you embed it into the web page, and not download it. That way I will still can receive the views, likes & subs for the video. Thanks for asking!

[@christinabell8187]

@@DIYtime Thank you.

[@momina17865]

I got fumes from hopd i immeidatelu stopped my radiator water was leaked

[@ILOVEFARTING69]

My mom and I were at kwik trip and are car started smoking and leaking alot and the engine temperature gage was at all the water hot we made it home atleast

[@h7pubg]

never try to drive home when your car is doing this, you’ll kill your engine, an uber ride home is worth saving 4,000$+

[@eric4572]

i jus recently noticed the other night when my car was running i seen light smoke coming from the front of the car but car was not overheating or anything and i didnt see any leaks. ik the car has an exhaust leak, not sure where but could it be that? also when i opened the hood i didnt see any smoke, i guess the smoke builds up when hood is closed

[@daijah7541]

Same

[@armandoalvarado7171]

@@daijah7541you ever diagnose the problem

[@levitativ845]

bruh what was it

[@eric4572]

@@levitativ845 bru turns out i do have an oil leak lmaoo. but it was valve covers leaking oil onto the exhaust & the smoke is jus the oil burning off

[@levitativ845]

@@eric4572 oh wow how much was the fix

[@southacres_nunu3058]

I have a 2005 Acura tl I changed my head gasket but it seems that it’s white smoke coming from my catalytic converter was wandering could a clogged cat cause white smoke from under the hood

[@jaymosiah220]

I’m having the same problem smoke coming from my Cat please lmk how it went with you

[@Thewarcamper]

What’s was it guys ?

[@southacres_nunu3058]

@@jaymosiah220 wasn’t really my cat but it was the oil burning off it

[@googleuser7354]

What if temperature is normal and you get steam could that be the Fuel Pressure Regulator, 02 Sensor not pushing the right amount of fuel into proper places 🤔

[@user-xn3th8op1z]

Hey man what was your issue? I’m having the same thing

[@googleuser7354]

@@user-xn3th8op1z it ended up being water pump and as well as timing cover gasket and timing cover

[@eygamereygamer9924]

I've been looking for days for my problem and can't find it I changed my thermostat recently and I installed it perfectly but when I went to start my car thick white smoke came out of my hood on the passenger side I got told it might be the head gasket but I got no mixture and the car was cold I got told it might be the exhaust manifold it can be a cracked block I just don't know what it can be and is it safe to turn back on to see or do I have a chance of catching my car on fire?

[@ThatoneguysYT32]

We had the same exact situation, i was told it could be a blown head gasket or cylinder. Or a super bad exaust leak, but that depends if its smoke or vapor

[@kennyrobert9785]

​@@ThatoneguysYT32 what's difference between smoke or vapor?

[@ThatoneguysYT32]

@@kennyrobert9785 smoke is from something burning like oil or a wire or hose, vapor is from a liquid burning from a hot surface like dripping onto the exaust

[@kennyrobert9785]

@@ThatoneguysYT32 thanks

[@yosefortez4009]

@eygamereygamer9924 did you fix it?

[@yungdanooo8635]

I have a 2002 lancer my car starting smoking white smoke then I heard a loud boom. Does this mean my engine is done for?

[@ellydaniel2666]

Any solution for this matter?

[@shankerm3959]

Mine happened last week. Some burning smell after a few mins of drive for abt 2 weeks. Last week the smell got stronger and white smoke emitted from bonnet. Took to a mechanic and he couldnt figure out the problem..still feeling lost.

[@Busboy585]

What if the liquid is red

[@eric4572]

transmission fluid 😬

[@Hondagiazoi]

Do not shut off the car cos the pistons and gears whil get jamed from high temperature

[@abc_u_hater]

My 2011 GT started producing smoke but its very faint and only visible when I take the oil cap off drives fine nothing feels wrong

[@tentoezdownmovement4914]

Just subscribed thanks for tips and content #TenToezDowN