If you think the car is riding dangerously hard, pull over and let the tires cool. Before you start out, be certain that the radiator is in good condition and filled to the correct level with the proper combination of coolant and water, and that all hoses are sound. Check the oil each time you stop for fuel. Drive at reasonable speeds, keeping an eye on the temperature and pressure gauges or warning lights. Therefore, if you are traveling during the summer months, and there are very young or elderly persons along, consider doing you driving in the early morning and evening hours.
Unpredictability is another feature of the desert.
Sandstorms as well as rainstorms can arise with a suddenness seldom encountered elsewhere. If your vision becomes so obscured that it is dangerous to drive, pull off the road and wait until the storm passes. But don't stop in a low place that could become a raceway for a flash flood.