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A key dashboard warning light signals you must stop as soon as you can safely do so, or risk inflicting serious harm to your engine and turning a small problem into an expensive nightmare.

When operating a vehicle for any considerable duration, your engine will begin to warm up substantially due to the energy it produces.

To protect your engine from heat-related harm, your vehicle is equipped with a cooling system that keeps temperatures at ideal levels to ensure everything runs properly.

However, there are occasions when certian components connected to your cooling system can malfunction, causing the engine to overheat.

When this happens, your vehicle will probably show an alert via a dashboard warning light, usually represented by a red thermometer with red waves beneath it.

Some vehicles fitted with a display may also show the alert there, along with an audible signal.

Should your temperature warning light illuminate, you must pull over and stop your vehicle immediately when it's safe to do so.

This is because operating even a brief distance with an overheated engine can result in substantial harm to the engine components.

One typical danger of running an engine that's excessively hot is harm to the head gasket, which can cost approximately £662 on average to fix, according to RAC.

In other instances, your engine could completely break down which, depending on the problem and model of your vehicle, could cost thousands of pounds to replace.

After you have securely parked your vehicle, activated your hazard warning lights, and stepped out of the car, it's recommended to lift the bonnet if feasible and allow the engine to cool for a minimum of thirty minutes.

The RAC strongly advises against attempting to remove your car's radiator cap whilst the engine remains overheated, as the coolant may still be scorching hot and the pressure accumulation could cause the heated coolant to erupt outwards, potentially resulting in serious burns.

Your car's cooling system comprises various different parts, any of which may malfunction at any moment. That said, one of the most frequent reasons for a vehicle overheating is insufficient engine coolant.

You should inspect your coolant reservoir located near the radiator to determine whether there's adequate coolant present (some feature a 'minimum' marking which assists in establishing if sufficient coolant is circulating through the system).

Should you discover that after refilling the coolant in your vehicle it continues to overheat, it's recommended that you have it examined by a qualified technician who can help identify and resolve the issue causing the overheating.