Chevy owners in Fort Smith are already making plans to go out and about this upcoming summer. But when auto radiators fail during hot summer day trips, engines fail, and then, no one’s going anywhere. With Summer coming, let’s review signs that tell you you’ll need a radiator repair at your Chevy dealer.
1. Check Coolant Light Illuminates on Your Dashboard
If your vehicle’s low coolant light comes on, that is one of the first signs of a problem. Refilling the radiator will temporarily solve the problem, but it will not address the cause. That is because radiators don’t lose coolant unless there’s a problem. If yours keeps running low, you have a leak somewhere.
2. Engine Overheating
When your radiator lacks enough coolant to keep your engine warm, your engine will overheat. Your temperature gauge on your dashboard will move over to the hot side of the display. When that happens, you need to pull over quickly and shut your engine off, or your engine could crack.
A properly working radiator with sufficient coolant will not allow your engine to overheat. Your safest option is to have a tow truck haul your vehicle to a service station for repairs.
3. Coolant on the Ground
If you have an external coolant leak, it will end up on the surface beneath your vehicle. It will match the color of the coolant you already have in your Chevy. Whatever the fluid’s color, you’ll need to get something on your vehicle repaired right away if it’s on the ground.
An external leak doesn’t necessarily have to come from your radiator. Leaks can come from any area of your cooling system, including your hoses or the thermostat. Your mechanic will do a complete evaluation of your cooling system to determine the leak’s origin.
4. Discolored Radiator Fluid
While your engine is cold, open your radiator cap and inspect the color. It should look like a clean green, yellow, pink, or red. However, if it appears brown like motor oil or sludge, your radiator has been contaminated and needs to be flushed out.
Then you’ll need to identify the source of the contamination. If the contamination originated from inside your engine, you would undoubtedly have costly repairs ahead of you.
5. White Smoke Comes Out Your Exhaust Pipe
If you see white smoke coming out of your exhaust pipe, it means coolant is burning off in your exhaust system. That is not okay because coolant shouldn’t be in your exhaust system. It is a sign of a potentially much larger problem.
Coolant in your exhaust system means you have an internal leak. The cause of that leak could be as simple as a broken gasket, or worse, a cracked block. And you don’t want antifreeze inside your engine because it will damage it. Don’t delay; address this issue as soon as possible.
Visit us at Orr Chevrolet of Fort Smith to have your Chevy checked and repaired by the best.
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