3 Signs Your Kia Needs a Radiator Repair

Your radiator plays a vital role in controlling your engine’s temperature. When the temperature rises, coolant is released and it absorbs the heat. The hot coolant flows into the radiator where it’s cooled by airflow through the radiator. If your radiator develops a problem, it may not be able to cool your engine and your car can quickly start to overheat. When you need a radiator repair, come into your Kia dealer and we’ll fix it for you.

3 Signs Your Kia Needs a Radiator Repair at Your Kia Dealer

Leaking Coolant

Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water, and it absorbs the heat that would otherwise cause damage to the components of your engine. The cooling system operates at speed and under high pressure. When the engine temperature rises too high, coolant is released into the system to reduce the temperature. If you have a coolant leak, you not only lose coolant but the pressure in the cooling system is also reduced.

A loss of coolant and reduced pressure will cause your engine temperature to rise rapidly. Fortunately, a coolant leak is usually easy to spot. The fluid is pink, green, or yellow and if you find a pool of this liquid under your car, you have a coolant leak. Call our service department, and our technicians will find and repair the source of the leak and replace the coolant.

Damaged Thermostat

The thermostat is a small component with a very important function. It monitors the temperature in your engine, and when the temperature reaches a pre-set point, the thermostat opens and releases coolant. Coolant is circulated through your engine, into the radiator, and then returns to the coolant reservoir. This process will continue until the engine temperature drops, then the thermostat will close and shut off the coolant.

If the thermostat fails, it will either jam open or closed. If the thermostat is open, it will continue to release coolant regardless of the level of heat in the engine. Your engine will run colder than it should, and this will cause you to use more fuel due to the low operating temperature. If the thermostat jams closed, it will not release coolant at all and your engine temperature will rise uncontrollably.

Damaged Radiator Fins

When hot coolant enters your radiator, it’s directed into a series of thin horizontal tubes that look like fins. Airflow through the radiator grille blows over the fins and cools the hot coolant. Once the coolant is cooled, it flows out of the radiator. The tubes are very delicate and can easily be damaged by even small debris entering the grille.

If enough of the tubes are damaged, this can block the flow of hot coolant, preventing it from being cooled and your engine temperature will start to rise.

A damaged radiator can easily cause your engine to overheat and suffer serious damage. If your engine temperature seems to be rising, call our service department right away at Crain Kia of Fayetteville.

Posted in Fayetteville Kia Dealer, Fayetteville Kia Service | No Comments »