After a series of incidents of roadside burns, a group is urging motorists to seek professional help when dealing with overheating vehicles, cautioning them to not open its bonnet until help has arrived.

According to NRMA, there have been at least five cases of people seriously injuring themselves over the past 10 months. And in the 12 months to October, 28% of callouts the motoring group received were for overheated engines.

Robert Younes, NRMA roadside manager, said: “As we move into the warmer months, it’s becoming even more important to remind members not to touch or open anything under the bonnet in any breakdown situation.”

“The first sign of a vehicle overheating is when the needle on the temperature gauge enters the red zone or the ‘check engine’ or ‘temperature’ warning lights come on.

“If you ignore these warning signs, the radiator can boil and steam will rise from under the bonnet, which is when people start to panic.”

Younes said that to significantly reduce the risk of overheating, motorists should regularly service their vehicle as well as check its cooling system.


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