Keeping the Cool: Assessing Car Radiator Damage

The radiator has the humble (but very important) job of cooling down a car's engine. Without it, the system will be prone to overheating and massive internal damage could follow. Thus, motorists should know how to diagnose their automobile if they suspect that its radiator has been compromised.

Radiator malfunctions could be be the result of a powerful impact to the engine, the radiator itself being rusted or cracked, or from a leaking hose somewhere down the line. Reusing old coolant may also destroy radiators from within. One of the most basic methods of determining radiator condition is to check a vehicle's on-board thermometer, which is located on the dashboard. If the needle points towards “H” every time the engine is on, then it means the radiator is unable to properly cool the engine.

Motorists are advised to stop using their cars should they detect a broken radiator; this will prevent the engine from suffering damage from high heat. The broken radiators should be replaced as soon as possible in order to bring back the automobiles to working condition. It would be wise for car owners to hire a mechanic who could install a new radiator so that they don't have to go through the mess themselves.