Cooling
Cooling system maintenance: the guide most people skip
Overheating is the fastest path from a $200 repair to a new engine. Here is how to stay ahead of it.
· 6 min read
Coolant is not lifetime fluid
Most manufacturers call for a coolant exchange between 60,000 and 100,000 miles. Old coolant loses its corrosion inhibitors and starts eating water pump seals, heater cores and radiator end tanks from the inside.
Early warning signs
Temperature gauge creeping above normal, sweet smell after driving, white crust around hose clamps, heat that only works while moving, or coolant on the driveway. Any of these is worth a same-week look.
Why we treat overheating as urgent
Aluminum heads warp. Head gaskets fail. Once an engine has been driven hot, the repair bill often exceeds the value of the vehicle. Pull over and shut it off — that decision alone has saved our customers thousands.
Bone says: here's why
Why stop the second it overheats? Because heat warps metal, and warped metal does not un-warp. Pull over, kill it, call.
Let's keep your vehicle healthy.
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