Watch CBS News

Cicadas Could Cause Your Car To Overheat, AAA Says

(WJZ) -- AAA says, if left unchecked, cicadas could do some serious harm to your car.

The insects tend to swarm towards strong sources of heat. Most engines have a radiator behind the grill to keep the car from overheating, so if that gets blocked, it could lead to some costly repairs.

"So you want to be making sure that you're washing your car frequently and washing away the cicada debris," said Regina Ali of AAA. "And again, making sure that you're keeping your windows up and your sunroof closed as you're driving.

The good news, you shouldn't have to put up with the bugs for too much longer. Experts say most will be gone in about a week or so and you don't have to worry about them again until the year 2038. Thank goodness."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.