A radiator is an essential part of your cooling system, it keeps your engine safe from overheating. The internal combustion engine will produce too much heat when in use. The coolant plays a major role in circulating through the engine and the radiator absorbs the heat and uses the air passing through the radiator to cool it down.
The radiator is one of the important components of your vehicle. It’s located at the front of your vehicle as it can utilize airflow as you drive to aid in the cooling process. When you’re locating your vehicle’s radiator look for the larger of the two components and you’ll be in good shape.
How long do radiators last?
A radiator is designed to last the life of the vehicle—probably it won’t happen. It can sometimes fail and require replacement long before that.
But if maintained regularly your radiator should last somewhere between 8 to 10 years.
If your radiator isn’t functioning properly, you must deal with serious problems. Here are the signs your radiator is bad or failing:
1. Your vehicle is overheating
When you drive at a normal speed and feel overheating then it’s a common sign that your radiator is bad or failing. Radiator plays a key role in keeping your engine cool. But it’s a fact that overheating may be due to the bad radiator, you can also replace the coolant and wait for the surprise.
2. Your vehicle is leaking coolant
If you see coolant( a bright yellow, green, or red liquid) under your vehicle while it’s parked then you have a leak. If a coolant leaks then it’s sure that there’s something unusual. The leak can be due to the radiator, a hose, or a problem in the engine block. A pressure test is recommended to determine from where the leak comes.
3. High-Temperature Gauge Readings
If your temperature gauge gradually reaches the high point then it’s a sign that something is under failure. If the engine gets too hot it will shut off, this is a sign that the problem is even more serious. An overheating engine can be due to a wide range of problems, including a faulty thermostat, a broken fan, or coolant leaks. Do more tests to find the actual problem.
4. Damaged Radiator Fins
Damaged radiator fins are another common problem. Radiators are situated at the front of the vehicle, but the fins are one of the easiest components to damage. These damaged fins may overheat your engine, slow down the performance of coolant in your radiator and lead to serious damage.
5. Fluid Discoloration
Corrosion is one of the biggest radiator killers. The corrosion may happen inside your radiator which you can’t see, but it will discolor the coolant. Just try to flush the coolant if it’s old, but if it’s new and severely discolored then you have significant corrosion in your system.
