Your European automobile cannot operate efficiently if something is wrong with the radiator. To expand upon this, the radiator is part of the cooling system, and the cooling system in European automobiles can suffer from the same common problems from which Asian and Domestic vehicles suffer. What are these common cooling system problems? East Coast EuroWerks lists them below.
Coolant Leaks
Coolant leaks are a common problem in older vehicles for many reasons. The radiator could have rusted through, which we’ll talk more about below, or there may be a problem with the hoses or seals. Even the best-maintained vehicles will eventually have cracked or loose hoses and worn seals, so keep an eye on your coolant level. If it drops suddenly, coolant is leaking from somewhere.
Radiator Rust
Your vehicle’s radiator is made from metal and metal corrodes. The coolant causes the corrosion. It isn’t that the coolant is bad, it’s just a natural occurrence if you’ve got a ton of miles on your European automobile. A rusted radiator will have a hole in the bottom of it and you’ll see coolant on your garage floor. Normally, coolant is blue, green, or red. Rusty coolant is orange.
Bad Thermostat
If the thermostat is faulty, it will not release coolant into the cooling system. This can cause a lot of problems. If the thermostat fails to open when the engine temperature gets too hot, your vehicle’s engine will overheat because it isn’t getting any coolant. It’s the thermostat that signals the release of coolant into the engine, and we replace this part frequently.
Bad Fan
The same holds true for the radiator fan. If it fails to work, it cannot reduce the temperature of the coolant resting in the radiator before it is released back into the engine. The hotter the coolant gets, the hotter your engine gets. If the coolant is too hot, your engine will overheat and the radiator cap will burst, spraying scalding hot coolant all over the place.
Dirty or Low Coolant
Check your owner’s manual to see how often you should have your radiator coolant flushed and refilled and keep an eye on it in between services. If the coolant gets dirty or is too low, it loses its effectiveness. Dirty or low coolant cannot absorb engine heat and your vehicle will run hotter and hotter until it overheats. Simple servicing will prevent this from happening.
Call East Coast EuroWerks at to schedule a cooling system inspection. We are located in Wilmington, NC, and we’d be happy to make sure your European automobile keeps cool this summer.
