- 12/3/2024
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Problems with the radiator are not as many as the rest of the car parts, but if it is damaged or malfunctioning, the damage will be very large sometimes because it directly affects the engine and its performance and the way it works, the radiator is responsible for cooling the coolant in order to introduce it to the engine and cool it, so its safety is very important.
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Read more: Radiator common problems
What are the symptoms of radiator damage?
The symptoms that accompany damage to the car's radiator are as follows:
Engine overheating
The most important symptom indicating damage to the cooling system, specifically in the radiator is the high engine temperature that can be observed on the temperature gauge in the dashboard, when the gauge indicator rises to the red area or to the word “High”, it means that the cooling system is not doing its job and is working as hard as possible to cool the engine, and the cause is usually the wear and tear of the radiator, or the hoses and pipes for it and the cooling system, and high engine temperature is a serious issue that requires immediate attention and may lead to eventual damage to the engine.
Warning light comes on
Modern cars come equipped with advanced warning systems to inform the driver of any potential issues with the cooling system, and if the dashboard lights up with an engine temperature warning or if the temperature gauge indicator rises suddenly, it means that there is an issue in the cooling system and possibly in the radiator, and when the warning light is seen or the gauge indicator rises, the matter must be dealt with immediately and seriously so that the issue does not develop and cause great damage to the engine.
Coolant Leakage
One of the most common symptoms that accompanies the damage to the radiator or when it is close to damage is the deposition of coolant from it either in a small amount that is difficult to see or sometimes in a large amount that is easy to see under the front of the car, that is, under the radiator, and usually the color of the coolant or antifreeze is either green or orange, and these leaks will cause the engine to heat up if they are large and contribute to the decrease in the amount of coolant in the system, and if the system loses coolant significantly, the engine will be damaged and may fail.
Read more: Common cooling system problems
Strange odors
A very important symptom of damage to the radiator is the emission of strange odors from under the hood and under the car, whether while driving or after stopping the car, and these odors indicate the leakage of coolant, which is often antifreeze, and these odors resemble substances with a sweet, juice-like odor, but it is a bit strange, and ignoring this distinctive odor can lead to damage to the cooling system, especially the radiator and overheating of the engine.
Unusual noises
A damaged or nearly damaged radiator can make strange and unusual sounds such as gurgling when the engine is running, and the reason behind these sounds is a leak of air or coolant from the system, especially the radiator when it is perforated with a slightly wide hole and the sounds come out of it or from the parts connected to it, such as hoses for example, and these sounds can be heard immediately after turning off the engine, where the pressure is present inside the system and leads to hearing the sound of the leak to know its location and repair it immediately.
Rust, corrosion and wear and tear
When the car becomes old and its original parts are still present in it, it will begin over time to deteriorate, corrosion and wear, and the radiator is not immune to these issues, and signs of damage will begin to appear on it through rust, calcification and corrosion that affects its parts, especially the coolant inlets and outlets, and places near the ground water that reaches it from the street, and these issues are usually not repairable, and you must change the entire radiator as soon as possible so that you can drive the car without issues.
Read more: What are the fluids that leak under the car?
Poor heating performance
Although the primary function of the radiator is to cool the fluid in order to pull the engine heat and cool it, it also affects the heating system in your car, if you experience poor heating performance, especially on very cold days, the issue may be damage to the main radiator or the internal radiator of the heating system, as the damaged radiator will have difficulty regulating the flow of coolant, which affects the efficiency of the heating system and the engine temperature as well.
