Because of advances in technology, today’s vehicles sometimes give the impression that they are maintenance-free. They aren’t. In fact, if you want to keep your vehicle running its best, there are major systems that need to be maintained on a regular basis. We all know it’s important to change the engine oil and filter on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many tend to neglect the maintenance of their vehicle’s cooling system. This blog post will explain what can happen to your vehicle if the cooling system is not maintained.
The radiator is filled with a 50/50 mixture of coolant (a/k/a antifreeze) and water. As the engine operates, it generates a lot of heat. The antifreeze/water mixture is designed to transfer that heat from the engine and cycle it back to the radiator where it is cooled by air. Too much or too little antifreeze can cause damage to your engine (overheating or freezing). The coolant is also designed to protect the cooling system from rust and corrosion. So when antifreeze is too old, it won’t adequately protect your engine components.
Here are a few things that can happen to your vehicle when you don’t change the coolant when you should:
- The engine will run hotter than it should, eventually getting to the point where it will overheat. If this is allowed to occur, serious engine damage can result.
- The head gasket could blow, allowing coolant to enter into and mix with the engine oil. A blown head gasket is a major engine issue. So much so that some people actually refer to it as a blown motor. Continuing to drive with a blown head gasket is not a good thing to do – you will eventually have to replace the engine… or worse… buy a new vehicle.
- Damage can occur to other engine parts (cylinders, pistons, etc.) when the engine is allowed to run hotter than it should.
- The heater can become damaged.
- You will notice poor fuel economy.
- The coolant will not be able protect the components of the cooling system from corrosion causing parts like the radiator, water pump, etc. to rust and fail.
The best way to protect your vehicle’s cooling system is to have it maintained at Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, NJ
Our ASE-Certified Technicians can assist you in maintaining your vehicle’s cooling system by:
- Checking the radiator, belts, and hoses. It’s important to make certain the belts and hoses are replaced when they show evidence of bulging, cracking or dryness.
- Replacing the drive belt (a/k/a serpentine belt) before it breaks and causes major engine damage. Typically, the drive belt should be replaced every 50,000 miles (approximately every 5 years).
- Flushing the cooling system and replacing it with fresh coolant every two years. We can test the coolant to let you know if it can adequately protect your engine.
Give Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, New Jersey, a call today to schedule your next cooling system service.