Your SUV’s engine is naturally hot due to the heat from combustion and the constant movement of hundreds of components. This heat, however, has to be controlled, or it can lead to your engine overheating and suffering damage. The radiator is the part of your cooling system that removes the heat. In time, you’ll need a radiator repair, and we can do that for you. These are a few signs that your radiator could be failing.
Does Your SUV Need a Radiator Repair?
Coolant Leak
Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water, and its purpose is to remove the heat produced by your engine. The coolant absorbs heat as it’s pumped through your engine. The hot coolant enters the radiator where it’s cooled by airflow over the radiator tubes. Its importance to your cooling system makes a coolant leak a very serious problem.
Most leaks are external, and you’ll see evidence of them in pink, green, blue, or yellow liquid on the ground under your car. Sometimes wear in the engine can allow coolant to leak into the exhaust system. If this happens, you’ll see thick white smoke from your exhaust. Our technicians will trace the source of the leak and repair it. Once the repair is complete, we’ll refill the coolant.
Worn Radiator Hoses
The radiator hoses connect your radiator to the cooling system. These tough rubber hoses are engineered to carry hot coolant at temperatures over 300 F. These hoses are specially reinforced to withstand this hot liquid and the additional heat generated by the surrounding engine parts. All parts wear out eventually, and the radiator hoses are no exception.
The hose rubber gradually becomes firmer and less elastic. Elasticity in the hoses is essential as this enables them to endure the heat and pressure of the fast-moving coolant. Inelastic hoses will gradually crack, and these cracks can turn into leaks. A leak in the cooling system reduces pressure in the system and increases your engine temperature. We’ll examine the hoses and install new ones if they’re damaged.
Broken Thermostat
The thermostat is responsible for releasing coolant into your engine. When the engine temperature reaches a pre-set point, usually between 185 F and 210 F, the thermostat opens and releases coolant into the system. The water pump then turns on and pumps the coolant through the system at high speed.
The thermostat is relatively simple. It will, however, cause serious problems if it fails. A jammed thermostat may not release any coolant at all. Without the flow of coolant, your engine rapidly overheats. We’ll test the thermostat and swiftly replace it to fix this problem.
Overheating can lead to expensive engine damage. Call us today at Santa Monica SUVs.
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