What to Do When Your Car’s Radiator Fails

Radiators might not look like much to the average car owner, yet these parts are nonetheless crucial to the operation of automotive engines. Without the cooling ability of radiators, car engines are bound to heat up quickly and succumb to damage. 

 

Steam issuing from under the vehicle hood as a result of overheating is often a sign of radiator trouble. However, forcing the engine to work under such conditions and with significantly reduced cooling ability will only result in heavy damage due to extreme heat. 

 

Rather than drive to the nearest auto repair shop while the engine is overheating, it would be wise to let the vehicle cool down for about 15 minutes. Thereafter, you can make temporary repairs to restore limited functionality to the radiator.

Coolant leaks, which are common causes of radiator malfunction, can be addressed in two ways. For instance, motorists can use duct tape on a leaky radiator hose. If the radiator itself is leaking, one can add a fair amount of pepper into the system as the granules can temporarily close off the leak. Once the engine has cooled down somewhat, one can then head safely to the nearest auto shop and ask for a new radiator.