Your Hyundai’s radiator is part of a highly-efficient cooling system in your engine. This cooling system is designed to keep your engine at a safe operating temperature and prevent it from overheating. The radiator can suffer fatigue or damage, and the time will come when you need a radiator repair. As your Hyundai dealer, we have the technicians and parts to fix any radiator problem for you.
3 Signs You Need a Radiator Repair at Your Hyundai Dealer
Broken Thermostat
When your engine temperature gets too hot, it starts to cause damage to the engine. To prevent this, liquid coolant is released and pumped through your engine to reduce the temperature. The coolant absorbs excess engine heat and transports it to the radiator. In the radiator, the coolant is cooled, and it’s pumped back through the system to start the process again.
Coolant should be released when your engine temperature rises over 180F, and the thermostat is responsible for monitoring the engine temperature. A thermostat is a simple valve that opens when it detects a temperature higher than its been preset to. Even simple components can fail, and if your thermostat jams closed, it won’t release any coolant. This will cause your engine to start overheating.
Leaking Coolant
The liquid coolant flows through a closed-loop system. It travels from the coolant reservoir through the cooling system to your radiator, then from your radiator back to the reservoir. Unlike engine oil, for example, it’s not used up as it works. A low coolant level can only be due to a leak in the cooling system. The cooling system is a fast, high-pressurized operation, and a small amount of damage can cause a serious leak.
A worn seal on the radiator cap, a hole in the radiator hose, or damage to the radiator itself can all cause pressurized coolant to leak or spray out. Two signs point to a coolant leak, namely a rising engine temperature and a puddle of pink, green, blue, or yellow liquid under your car. If you see these signs, call us right away so our technicians can fix the problem and prevent damage to your engine.
Rusted Radiator
Rust is caused by metal being exposed to water for periods. The rust will start slowly, and it will gradually eat away the metal beneath it. Your radiator is protected against water by the hood and the radiator grille. The only way that your radiator can be exposed to water is through water leaking from somewhere in the engine.
As we’ve seen above, coolant is highly-pressurized and it’s made from a mix of water and antifreeze. A leak in the cooling system will cause coolant to spray into your engine. This coolant can land on the radiator and start to cause rust. Once rust starts on your radiator, it can’t be repaired. We will need to replace the radiator.
An overheating engine is very scary, but it is preventable. Call us at Mike Kelly Hyundai, and we’ll fix it.
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