The Ultimate Radiator Repair & Maintenance Checklist

What to Check During a Radiator Inspection

The following are the things to check regularly to ensure you never overlook your car’s cooling system:

• Check under your vehicle for leaks or wet spots. Spots or puddles of water may indicate a leak in the radiator. If you observe any of these, ensure you take your car for repairs immediately.
• Check the coolant level: It is also important to inspect the coolant level every morning before you take your car for a drive. Luckily, low coolant is not a big deal, as you can simply top it up with more coolant if you notice it is lower than the recommended level. However, note that the coolant shouldn’t drop drastically every day. So, if you notice a drastic drop in the coolant level, this may indicate a bigger problem.
• Check the cooling fan: This is another part of your radiator that you can quickly locate without losing any bolt or nut. While you may be unable to do any significant repairs, it’s best to inspect the fan daily and dust it to keep it clean.

Even after checking these parts, some components like the fin, belts, hose, and so on still need inspection. Therefore, beyond these daily inspections, it is recommended to have a thorough inspection and servicing every 30,000 miles or after 12 months, whichever comes first.

When Do You Need to Go for Radiator Repairs?

There are some cases in which your inspection will go well, yet you still need to bring in your car for radiator repairs. Here are those instances:

• The temperature gauge is higher than usual: Every car has a temperature gauge that indicates the engine’s temperature. During hot days, the level may rise higher than the midpoint, but it shouldn’t reach the red region. If you see the arrow going higher than usual for some reason, that’s a big sign to stop everything and head to a technician for immediate inspection.
• The engine light is on: There are way too many reasons the check engine light comes on, but one of these reasons may be a radiator problem. So, if you see the red (or yellow) light on your dashboard, don’t ignore it to avoid worse problems like overheating.
• The coolant is discolored or oily: This is another sign that repairs are needed. The major cause of a discolored or oily coolant is contamination by engine oil. In this case, coolant replacement alone may not solve the problem.
• Steam is coming from under the hood: This is the primary sign of overheating. If, for some reason, you did not notice any of the previous signs and this happens, stop driving, wait for the engine to cool off, top up the coolant, and drive straight to a radiator repair shop for immediate attention.