As coolant circulates around your car’s engine compartment, it draws heat from the engine and carries it to the radiator. While flowing through the radiator’s fins, the coolant releases the heat before returning to the engine for more. If your radiator ever stops drawing heat from the coolant, your engine may rapidly begin to overheat. To avoid overheating, here are a few early warning signs that you need prompt radiator repair at your nearest Subaru dealership.
4 Signs You Need a Radiator Repair
External or Internal Rust
Car radiators can rust both externally and internally. When you visually inspect your radiator, you may notice areas of external rust. If the rust is still minor, you may be able to clean it with a good anti-rust product.
Internal rust is harder to spot. Your coolant will usually turn a dark brown color if there’s internal rust. You’ll probably need a technician to flush the coolant and replace it in a way that resolves the problem.
Bent or Clogged Radiator Fins
A radiator’s fins play a vital role in allowing heat to release from the coolant. Sometimes careless pressure washing or a hard impact can damage radiator fins, which stops them from working properly.
Even an excess of dirt or leaves can clog the gaps between fins, which also prevents them from effectively releasing heat. Clogged fins you can clean, but damaged fins usually mean the radiator needs to be replaced.
Coolant Leaking Under Your Car
Coolant can sometimes leak from a loose radiator cap, cracked seals, or worn hose connections. Any such leak will rapidly stop your cooling system from doing its job.
If a coolant leak occurs, you may notice brightly colored coolant pooling under your car. You’ll need a technician to quickly locate and repair the leak before your car’s safe to drive again.
Your Engine Is Clearly Overheating
Hopefully, you’ll notice a radiator problem before your engine starts to overheat. If you do hear ticking sounds, see vapor seeping from under the hood, and see the dashboard’s temperature gauge ticking upward, pull over at once.
When the car has cooled enough to look under the hood, check your radiator for signs of damage and have a technician diagnose and fix the problem. It’s best not to drive with an overheating engine, which can rapidly lead to catastrophic damage.
How a Subaru Dealer Checks Your Radiator
A technician at your local dealership will pressure test your faulty radiator to locate any leaks. They’ll also test the pump, cap, sealing, and hoses, before fixing any faulty parts.
Have your car’s radiator checked and repaired today at Jim Keras Subaru. For 32 years, our family owned and run dealership has been providing an exceptional level of customer satisfaction to the drivers of Bartlett, Memphis, West Memphis, and elsewhere in the Mid-South.
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