4 Signs Your Chevy Needs a Radiator Repair

You’re driving along normally, then white smoke billows out from under your hood. That can be a sign that you need a radiator repair. Your Chevy dealer can easily fix your radiator if it causes your car to overheat, is leaking, or simply needs some fresh coolant. So, look out for the signs below and head to the dealer when they arise.

1. Rising Temperature Gauge

A rising temperature gauge may be one of the first signs that your car is having trouble with its radiator. The temperature gauge might not rise steadily throughout one trip; it might show that your car is gradually running hotter over several days or weeks.

Your car may be running hotter due to worsening coolant quality, low coolant level, or a coolant leak. If the temperature gauge indicates your car is running hotter than it used to, then you should visit the dealer as soon as you can.

2. Overheating Engine

You might not notice your temperature gauge climbing if you’re focusing on other parts of driving and the engine overheats rapidly. So, you might just be driving along, then you notice smoke or steam coming out from under the hood. Pull over immediately if this happens, as continuing to drive will cause further damage to your engine.

3. Coolant Leak

There are several ways you can tell you have a coolant leak. The most obvious way is by spotting a sweet-smelling, brightly-colored puddle next to your vehicle. Dark liquid next to the car might be coolant, too. Sometimes coolant doesn’t always make it out of your vehicle when you have a leak, and it lands on parts of your engine instead. When it lands on the engine, it causes discoloration after it evaporates away.

So, if you pop the hood to inspect the parts under your hood and see any discoloration or rust, then you probably have a coolant leak. Finally, if your coolant is leaking out and getting burned up in the engine, then you may see large quantities of white smoke coming out of your tailpipe.

4. Old Coolant

Old coolant generally won’t cause problems with your radiator straight away, but it can create issues if it stays in your car for too long. Coolant gets darker and thicker as it ages, and this thicker coolant can clog up your radiator and reduce its efficiency. If too much of this coolant clogs your radiator, then your radiator may need to be replaced. The best way to combat this issue is by visiting the dealer regularly to have your coolant changed.

Having radiator problems? Come to Woodstock Chevrolet to get the radiator fixed, and make sure you also stop by for preventative maintenance.