If you lose coolant in this way you should look to replace the damaged part immediately to avoid any further problems associated with loss of coolant. When the engine becomes hot and coolant flows into the expansion tank any leak will allow some coolant to escape as liquid, while the drop in pressure also lowers the boiling point of coolant allowing some to be vaporized and released as steam. The cooling system is a sealed unit designed to maintain pressures from expanding and contracting coolant as temperatures rise and fall. Many vehicles will be fitted with an expansion tank to allow for the expansion of coolant as temperature increases. Like in all cases of coolant loss, a leak in the heater core needs to either be fixed or the part replaced. Damage to Heater Core:Īs well as a drop in coolant level, your engine running hot or visible signs of leaks, a damaged heater core may also result in less, or no heat getting into your vehicle your windows may mist up or there may even be a slight smell of coolant inside your vehicle. In other scenarios this inability to expand may cause damage to hoses, or even electrics should it come into contact with these electrical parts or wiring. When there is no available space often coolant will be lost via an overflow hose forming a puddle underneath your vehicle. Your coolant chamber or expansion tank is designed to allow for a certain amount of expansion and contraction of coolant as its temperature rises and falls. Too little coolant is potentially dangerous to your vehicle however, overfilling can have negative results too. The lower mark generally indicates the level in a cold engine, whereas the higher of the two show the maximum level in a hot engine. When looking at or refilling your coolant reservoir you will notice that there is a maximum level as well minimum level displayed. Of course, it may be that debris has formed in front of your radiator, so it is always worth checking and clearing away any obvious signs of debris. For this reason, the result of a badly fitting or damaged cap may also be overheating of your engine. A bad seal on your radiator cap will also affect the pressure of the cooling system, which in turn increases the boiling of coolant. Often a bad seal on your radiator cap will allow coolant to escape from this area. This may be around any joins or seals between the radiator core and body, to the shroud or to the cap. Damage to Radiatorĭamage to this component can occur in several places causing areas where leaks can form. If coolant leaks into oil channels, then the mixture of oil and coolant will reduce the vehicle’s ability to maintain temperature, may reducing the active effectiveness of oil, create blockages and generally increase the risk of engine damage or even failure. A blown head gasket may leak externally, which will lead to overheating and engine seizure, or it may leak internally into other compartments. Cracked Engine Block, Cylinder Head or Blown Head Gasket:Ī cracked block or blown head gasket is a serious problem and will eventually, if not immediately cause potentially fatal damage to your vehicle. This damage may be the result of general wear and deterioration, however this could simply be down to loose connections or clamps. Due to this increased brittleness they may crack or can often leak at their attachment points. One major reason that you may be losing coolant is from aged coolant hoses becoming worn out and brittle. Here are the most common that you may encounter to help you to understand why these occur so you can hopefully prevent, diagnose and find the best solution to: Worn-out radiator hoses: Reasons for Coolant Loss:Ĭoolant loss can happen for many reasons, some more serious than others. Simply living with the problem and topping up when necessary may solve the immediate problem for a while, but the underlying issue, if ignored could lead to much more serious damage as well as cause issues such as lower fuel economy, increased emissions and a general drop in engine performance. Some reasons for this are rather innocuous while others may be the first stages of an inconvenient and potentially costly repair process. This may be either an external leak or an internal leak into another part of the engine. If you are noticing that your coolant level is lower than would ordinarily be expected, you are losing coolant at an accelerated rate or you have noticed a puddle forming under your car then it must be assumed that coolant is escaping at some point from your system.
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