Q: When idling my car overheats?

In most cases, a car that overheats while idling and cools down while driving has a problem with the fan. The radiator fan is controlled by the engine ECU (Electronic control unit) and the fan control module. The ECU commands the fan on when the temperature reaches a certain point and the fan module handles the actual switching. The fan moves air across the radiator while the car is stationary. When the car is moving down the road, the natural movement of air across the radiator is enough to cool it. If you let the car idle you can listen for the fan to come on as the engine warms up. if the temperature goes up and you don’t hear the fan it’s a good bet that is your problem. You can have this checked out at your convenience by contacting Your Mechanic. They can send a technician to your home or office to check out your overheating problem and let you know what is the solution.