Your radiator hoses carry coolant between your engine and radiator. It’s an important job. If a radiator hose fails, you could lose your engine coolant which might lead to overheating and very expensive engine damage, so you always want to make sure you have good hoses.
Radiator hoses are very resilient, but they are subjected to very harsh conditions. Think about this, the temperature might be below freezing when you start your engine and the coolant could be up over 100 degrees Fahrenheit within a mile. These extreme internal temperature fluctuations contribute to the hose degrading from the inside. Oil splashing on the outside of a radiator hose will cause the hose material to soften over time. Ozone can also eat away at the hose. The bottom line is that radiator hoses don’t last forever and will need to be replaced.
If you see steam coming from under your hood, you probably have a cooling system leak somewhere. Other signs to look for are puddles of coolant under the vehicle, and bulges, cracks, or a spongy feel in the radiator hose. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, have your cooling system inspected by a professional as soon as possible.
If you have any cooling system repairs, like a water pump replacement, hose replacement or radiator repair, it is also a good idea to have your hoses replaced at the same time, along with the radiator pressure cap. It is very important that the coolant be serviced when you replace a radiator or water pump so that there are plenty of anti-corrosion additives in the coolant to coat and protect the new parts that have been installed. Simply reusing the old coolant can lead to rapid corrosion of the newly installed parts.
The most common reason for engine failure is a failed cooling system. Ask your service adviser if it’s time for a cooling system inspection or service. You can eliminate potentially disastrous damage with proper cooling system maintenance.
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The thermostat is part of your cooling system. The thermostats in your vehicle perform a similar function to the thermostats in your home. At home, you set your thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature range. Then when your home gets too hot, the air conditioning kicks on or when it gets too cool, the heater turns on.
The cooling system consists of a compressor, condenser, and evaporator.
Imagine a sludgy, sticky, dark goo slowly flowing inside your car’s internal workings. As the refrigerant in your car’s air conditioning system breaks down, it slowly moves inside the compressor.
You push a few buttons or turn some knobs, and voila, you have warm air blowing on your feet or cool air chilling your face. How does it all happen? Well, it’s all thanks to the air blend box. This box lives behind your dash and serves up just the right air temperature right where you want it.
Your serpentine belt is a long belt that’s driven by your engine. It winds around several accessories that power important automotive systems. Let’s go over them.
Question: Why isn’t my air conditioner blowing cold air?
Last week I was out running errands and my temperature warning light came on – total panic! I pulled over and my car was overheating. After I waited for it to cool down, I went right into my Denver service center to have them take a look. My service adviser at Express Car Care told me my water pump was leaking and needed to be replaced. He said water pumps just wear out and that they need to be replaced, because they have the important task of pumping the coolant that cools the engine while it’s running.
Let’s talk about air conditioning service and repair issues today. Most of us in Denver don’t give our air conditioning a second thought – just as long as it’s making cold air. But it’s a complex and expensive system that we should think more about before it starts blowing out hot air.