Signs of a Leaking Car Radiator That Should Not Be Ignored
As a car owner, there are many components of a four-wheeled vehicle that you should know. One of the important components is the radiator which functions to cool the engine heat temperature which is absorbed by the liquid. Car radiators are also prone to leaks, so proper care is needed to prevent this from happening.
In more detail, the radiator plays a role in helping the combustion process in the engine. This component needs to be considered regularly because it will regulate the temperature of the car engine so that it is not too hot or cold. A car engine that is too hot will overheat. while combustion will be difficult if the car is too cold.
The other function of the radiator is to regulate the freon fluid in the vehicle air conditioner. This component plays a role in pumping and opening the thermostat until it is hot so that the vehicle air conditioner can be used.
In order to better understand this condition, here is a further explanation of the characteristics, causes, and ways to deal with a leaky car radiator.
Signs of a Leaky Car Radiator
Have you ever found the function of the car's AC disturbed? If so, this may be due to a leaky or damaged car radiator. In the end, this can cause the car engine to stall due to overheating. Before this happens, you should first understand its characteristics.
- The car overheats quite often
When a car engine overheats, this condition is called overheating. This can happen because the radiator fan is off or the radiator water is running out.
- Cooling water volume often runs out
There is one component that plays a role in delivering heat from the engine to the radiator, namely cooling water. If the cooling water volume often runs out. this could be the result of a leaking car radiator. In addition, the causes of a leaking car radiator can vary, one of which is a collision, such as a collision from the front or being hit by a rock that bounces off when the car crosses a damaged road.
- Car radiator input hose often leaks
Serves to deliver high-temperature water from the engine to the radiator, the input hose is usually located on the top tank of the radiator. The water in the hose is also at a high temperature, making it prone to leaks. However, this will not happen if the cooling process in the radiator is running smoothly. New problems will arise when there is a blockage.
- Water dripping under the front bumper
Do you find car radiator water leaking under the car engine or under the dashboard? If there are drops in the middle or under the dashboard, this is not a radiator water leak, but a drop of AC water. Meanwhile, the leaking radiator water will drip right at the bottom of the engine and water droplets will appear in the area under the car bumper.
Cause and Effect If Not Corrected Immediately
After discussing the characteristics of a leaky car radiator, you must be curious about the cause. In fact, there are various causes of a leaky car radiator. One of them, namely the radiator that is already old. Radiator life is actually around 4-5 years. After that, the radiator walls are prone to eroding and leaking.
Therefore, you need to replace the car radiator regularly before it gets old. To find out more, here's more information.
- The output line is clogged
Dust and dirt that accumulates can clog the radiator output line of the car. In the end, this condition can trigger the radiator head to burst, water seeps into other components, and even the radiator can explode. To avoid this, you need to check the radiator regularly or every time the car reaches 40,000 km.
- Stone thrown
As explained above, a car radiator can leak due to a collision or a stone thrown when the car crosses a damaged road. Very hard stones or gravel can very easily destroy the radiator wall so this could be the result of a leaking car radiator.
- The quality of the radiator is still bad
Poor quality of water coolant or radiator water causes a shorter radiator life. This will cause the components in it can also be damaged quickly.
How to Check and Repair a Leaky Car Radiator
At this point, you may be wondering about how to check a leaky car radiator and how to fix it. Checking a leaky car radiator can actually be done by looking at the temperature indicator. If it is at the red level, this could be a sign of a problematic car radiator.
If this happens, you can pull the car over first. Then, open the hood and check the coolant overflow tank and radiator tank. If there is little or no coolant left in the two tanks, it can be ascertained that there is a leak.
If you want to open the radiator tank cap, you need to do it when the car's engine is cold, otherwise hot coolant can spray and hit you. Then, check for seepage or coolant drips around the radiator tank.
If you can't find any coolant drips or seepage, look for rust around the radiator tank. The reason, corrosion can cause leakage in the radiator tank. So, rust can indicate the location of the leak. If the car's radiator is fine, the leak could be elsewhere, such as the radiator cap, water pump, engine block, thermostat, coolant overflow tank, or heat exchanger. If the car radiator is leaking, then the way to fix the leaking car radiator is to take it to a repair shop.
Tips for Caring for and the Estimated Cost of a Leaky Car Radiator Service
You need to take care of the radiator by checking the radiator tank regularly. You can check the radiator fluid to stay on the positive line and immediately fill it up if it's on the negative line.
Also check the quality of the radiator fluid. If it looks dirty, you need to replace it with new fluid. In order to avoid leaks, you also need to use the best coolant as a radiator tank filler and not use other liquids.
Don't forget to regularly clean the radiator grille. This method is useful for cleaning the remnants of dirt, both oil and other impurities that trigger radiator leaks.
The cost of servicing a leaky car radiator at the workshop varies. At an authorized repair shop, the cost of repairing a leaky car radiator will be more expensive than a general repair shop. On average, the service fee for a car radiator at an authorized repair shop is between IDR 250-400 thousand. This depends on the level of damage to the car radiator.
For the price of radiator service in an ordinary general workshop, it is only around Rp. 175-350 thousand. However, this also depends on the level of damage to the car radiator. The more severe the damage to the car radiator, the more expensive the service costs that must be incurred.
Tips from Auto Insurance Agencies!Avoid using well water as a radiator fluid. The reason is, well water contains various substances that are harmful to car engines that can cause corrosion of car components.
Avoid unexpected expenses by using your car insurance benefits for the cost of repairing a leaky car radiator. You can take the quiz below to find insurance that fits your needs or find out the tips through videos from Auto Insurance Agencies.
