Q: My car had no water or oil and it started overheating. What's wrong?

As you may know, your car requires oil and coolant for two different reasons as they serve two distinct purposes. The oil lubricates internal engine parts and plays a part in reducing heat due to friction with metal on metal parts (i.e. pistons, cylinders, camshafts, bearings, etc). When these do not have the proper oil lubrication, they will generate enough heat to cause them at some point to essentially melt causing catastrophic engine failure. Your car’s engine requires coolant which helps to reduce engine heat during operation. Coolant is circulated throughout the motor by use of the water pump.

This is a belt driven pump that forces water/coolant through the engine and then back through the radiator which cools the coolant. This is controlled by a thermostat that opens and closes at specific temperatures allowing the engine to be kept at a normal operating temperature by circulating coolant through the engine. When the car is low on oil or coolant, this can cause catastrophic engine failure if not handled quickly. I would recommend having an expert, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to determine why the car is overheating and suggest any needed repairs.