Believe it or not, insufficient car maintenance can increase global warming. Radiator maintenance should be part of any car maintenance routine. Climate change is making summer heat longer and more intense. This can wreak havoc on a car. It’s essential to follow a routine maintenance schedule to ensure the car is running smoothly.

To find out when radiator maintenance is necessary, check out the signs below.

1. The Engine Is Overheating

When an engine overheats, pull over immediately. Continuing to drive can cause permanent engine damage and a very expensive mechanic bill. Additionally, never open the radiator coolant cap with the engine is hot.

When an engine overheats, it indicates that the car radiator is not doing its job. The radiator fluid should act as a conduit to draw heat out of the engine. It may be helpful to turn off the AC and blast the heat to help the engine.

2. The Engine Is Knocking

An overheating engine may cause a knocking noise. If the radiator cannot do its job, detonation in the engine happens too early, instead of in tandem with the pistons.

The radiator needs to draw heat out of the engine so the detonation can occur on time, in tandem with the pistons, and avoid damaging the engine. A radiator flush helps the radiator do its job better, allowing the engine to detonate on time.

3. Fluid Is Leaking

Is there liquid beneath your car when you go to use it? That is an indicator that there is a fluid leak. Radiator fluid may be green, yellow, orange, or pink.

A broken radiator may also leak fluid as white vapor. At room temperature or higher, this liquid evaporates into white smoke, so there may be no puddle beneath the car at all.

If the radiator fluid is leaking, you may need some simple radiator repairs like hose replacements.

4. It Smells Sugary

The coolant in the radiator contains ethylene glycol. These molecules can be easily converted into sugar. That’s why burning radiator fluid smells sugary, like butterscotch or maple syrup.

The worst part is the surgery smell can attract the attention of animals who die when they drink it.

5. It’s About That Time

The best time to flush the radiator is routinely before anything goes wrong. The car’s owner manual should have a specific recommendation for this. IT’s likely to recommend a radiator flush every 50,000 to 70,000 miles.

Failing to perform regular radiator fluid flushes allows the coolant to collect debris and other contaminants. Old coolant can also corrode the radiator, causing rust and scaling. This can damage the engine.

Performing Radiator Maintenance

Radiator maintenance should be part of any routine car maintenance schedule. The good news is that a radiator flush can be DIY. Simply jack up the car, drain the coolant, run a flushing fluid through, and refill with a new coolant.

If you found this helpful, take a moment to browse the other automotive articles on our page.