A good radiator will keep your Honda moving effortlessly, even in the heat of a Texas summer. A bad radiator, however, can quickly cause your engine to overheat. Your radiator is a vital part of your cooling system, but it can get damaged in time. If your radiator isn’t working correctly, your Honda dealer can make a radiator repair. These are some signs that you may need to see us for a repair:
Radiator Sludge
Coolant circulates through your engine and absorbs the heat radiating from the engine. The hot coolant is then pumped into the radiator. In the radiator, the coolant enters rows of thin aluminum tubes. In the tubes, the heat is then removed by airflow over the tubes. The coolant doesn’t just absorb heat. It also absorbs any debris in your engine.
When coolant is drawn out of the bottom of the radiator, it leaves behind the debris it’s collected. In time, this debris will build up and mix with some of the coolant to form a sludge. This sludge can clog your radiator, the tubes, and the radiator hoses. Any blockage in your cooling system will restrict the system’s cooling ability, and your engine can overheat. Our technicians can clean out the radiator if it’s not damaged.
Cabin Heater Not Working
When it’s cold, you need your cabin heater to take the chill off. If you turn on the heater and you’re greeted with a blast of cold air, you probably have a radiator problem. The heat is provided by a mini radiator called the heater core. The heater core doesn’t expel heat out of the car, it pumps it into the cabin.
Hot coolant passes through the heater core. When you switch on the cabin heater, a fan behind the heater core switches on. The fan blows the heat from the coolant into the cabin. If your radiator is damaged or clogged, the coolant won’t circulate properly, and the heater won’t work. The problem might also be a damaged heater core. The core may receive coolant, but it fails to provide heat.
Damaged Radiator Cap
The radiator cap on your radiator controls the pressure in the radiator, and it prevents coolant from escaping. To operate effectively, your cooling system is highly-pressurized. If the pressure in the system drops, the cooling system won’t work correctly. In these circumstances, your engine temperature will rise.
To maintain the pressure and prevent leaks, the radiator cap has two seals. In time, these seals can start to wear, and coolant can escape. A loss of coolant and pressure from a damaged seal can cause your engine to overheat. If you notice your engine temperature is increasing, call our service department ASAP. Our technicians can fix or replace the cap and seals.
Most radiator problems can be fixed relatively easily. The key in any repair is to fix the problem as soon as you find it. Call our service department at Kelly Grimsley Honda.
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