If your temperature gauge spikes: turn off the AC, turn ON the heater (it pulls heat from the engine), and pull over as soon as it’s safe. Never open a hot radiator cap, and never pour cold water on a hot engine — a cracked block turns a AED 500 repair into a AED 15,000 one.
Common causes in the UAE: coolant leaks from aged hoses and radiators (rubber degrades fast here), failed thermostats stuck closed, electric fan failures, and water pump wear. On German cars, plastic coolant flanges and expansion tanks are notorious after 5–7 years.
Typical repair costs: thermostat AED 250–800, radiator replacement AED 600–2,000, water pump AED 500–2,500, head gasket (the worst case) AED 3,000–9,000. A cooling system pressure test (AED 100–200) pinpoints the fault before you spend anything big.
If your car overheated today, don’t drive it to the garage — many verified workshops on UAE Garage Finder offer free recovery with the repair. Request a quote and mention the car is not driveable.