Cars can run hot – that’s a fact. Any car that runs for some time does collect some heat. To combat the excessive heat, your car is designed with an inbuilt cooling system that prevents engine overheating. A major part of car maintenance is taking care of the coolant so that your car’s life expectancy is increased. Doing so will also sustain the resale value of your car, making it easier for you to sell your car! Let’s take a look at some of the signs which indicate that your car’s cooling system might be in need of some care.
- Overheating of the engine
The most obvious sign of a faulty cooling system is your engine overheating. If your engine remains constantly heated, then your coolant is no longer circulating through it. The lack of circulation may be caused by a faulty water pump or a water leak. Driving continuously with an overheated engine can lead to engine failure. Once the engine cools down, remove the radiator and check the coolant levels. If the coolant level is low, check for leaks. If you decide to add a coolant, first find out the coolant type. Adding the wrong coolant or mixing a few can clog the radiator or cause gelling.
- What’s that smell?
The pungent smell of antifreeze when it burns is like hot, sweet syrup. The smell is unmistakable. This spells trouble for your coolant system. It could be a leak but you could also be burning through your car’s coolant. It might even mean that your head gasket is leaking. To identify if that’s the case, see if you have white exhaust fumes. White exhaust fumes signal engine coolant burning in your car’s combustion chamber. If so, you should stop driving your car as it could lead to further engine damage.
- Leaks
You should do a thorough inspection of hoses, freeze plugs, thermostats, radiators (with the pressure cap), belts to spot any coolant troubles before they escalate. Radiator leaks, frayed belts and protruding hoses are tell-tale signs that your car needs some regular maintenance.
- Defective radiator cap
A damaged defector cap can also be one of the signs that the coolant system has leaks. Don’t take off the radiator cap right after the car is switched off as the system would still be under pressure. You should always wait for the radiator to cool down before removing the cap.
Checking the level of coolant in your car must be a frequent part of your car’s maintenance schedule. You need to make sure that it’s running smoothly. Here at CarSwitch.com, we ensure that we do a 200-point inspection of every car so that when you buy a Dubai used car or sell your car, you know that your car’s cooling system is not compromised.
