What if the woman is a nurse out clubbing in a tiny dress. She comes across a seriously injured person and needs to create a bandage or tourniquet. With no other choice, she uses her dress for material to save the other person's life.

In the same boat
 

I'm in the same boat, I'm afraid. It seemed like such a good idea when I came up with then, then rationality set in and I did research and everyone says NEVER put cold water directly on a hot engine and NEVER open the radiator filler cap while it's hot. So now I'm scrounging for other ideas.

All the ideas here were good, but only a couple will work in the context of the story I'm writing. To lend more context (I should have done from the start) the woman is in a Cannonball Run style point-to-point race. She must reach the checkpoint before her competitors, and there's already an element of stripping and lewd conduct built into the race. I just needed a reason (and a good explanation why) for her to intentionally destroy her own clothes.

Seph, your idea was brilliant but it still leaves me with the physical danger to herself if she tries to pour that water into the hot engine.

Rojoa, I believe I saw that in an old Playboy video from the 80s. Ahh the wonderful 80s. :-)

If it doesn't have to be a rational reason, then with the car not working the air con wouldn't be either and she could get more and more hot and bothered and angry with her situation until she just snaps and rips her clothes off and up in a fit of pique. Once she's calmed down a bit, she'd of course realise the situation she's left herself in.

If you want a rational, thought out reason for taking off her clothes it's a little more difficult. I can think of a number of reasons for her to have removed her clothes but as for ripping them up... maybe she's not on a road, being on an off road section of the race; she needs to walk back to the road for help but the only way she can think of to mark her way back to the car is to rip pieces off her clothes and leave them as markers. Exactly how far she'd have to go and therefore 'how far she'd have to go' would be up to you.;)

Ideas freely given with no expectations of any kind, including compensation.

What about if she takes a bend too sharply and hits a tree head on. Not hard enough to be injured but the front bumper is hanging down. She is not strong enough to pull it off but it is scraping the ground. It needs to be held up in more than one place so she shreds her clothes to be able to tie it up in multiple places to continue. I offer this idea freely with no request for compensation.

You are told not to open the radiator cap not because of the car (if the radiator has overheated then most likely the damage is already done) but to protect yourself from being scalded.

If you really had to open a boiling radiator you would do it by putting a heavy cloth over the cap, turn it and quickly run away. You will hear "phshhhht" and then the water will spray everywhere. Idea is to deflect the hot water downwards rather than up all over you.

Sounds like a good idea for her to remove more than 1 article of clothing :) .

This suggestion offered freely, no compensation expected.

Windshield Washer Fluid
 

What about if she was driving in muddy windy conditions and her car ran out of windshield washer fluid. She was forced to wipe down the windshield with her clothes before they're torn away by the wind leaving her exposed.

That works well with the Cannonball Run theme. She can't slow down because of the race. If I remember correctly the hotties in those movies tended to wear one-piece jumpsuits as well :)

opening radiator
 

Indeed. :-)

jm6379, at a guess, how much time would one tend to have to get out of the way after removing the radiator cap before they were covered in boiling liquid? I mean, if she had no other choice but to sit out the rest of the race with a conked out car. I wouldn't think she'd have more than a second or two to run like hell.

My suggestions are offered for free.

You are right, about 1-2 seconds at best.