5 Signs Your Kia May Need a Radiator Repair

Radiators are essential to protecting a car from overheating and potential breakdowns. Maintaining an efficient and fully functioning radiator is key to the overall health and performance of the engine. If you’re not sure when to schedule a radiator repair, get to know these top five warning signs and make contact with your local Kia service center to give you peace of mind.

5 Signs Your Kia May Need a Radiator Repair

1. Car Overheating? Go Straight to a Kia Service Center

One of the quickest and most obvious ways to know if a radiator is failing is if your car routinely overheats. White steam or smoke pouring from under the hood could signal that the radiator is malfunctioning and not sufficiently cooling the engine.

To avoid permanent damage to your car, it’s crucial to have a professional perform diagnostics to root out and fix potential problems. Before it gets to that point, which could leave you stranded on the side of the road, avoid the need for expensive repairs by getting regular maintenance checks.

2. Check Your Dashboard

Pay close attention to the warning signals on your dashboard. Unless there is a problem, you shouldn’t expect to see the needle on the temperature gauge going above the midway point. If the needle in the temperature gauge is pointing to the red or hot zone, it could indicate that the radiator isn’t functioning properly and causing the engine to overheat.

3. Low Coolant Levels

As part of general maintenance, get into the habit of regularly checking all fluid levels. This can alert you to problems early on and ensure your car continues to run smoothly. It’s normal for coolant levels to gradually drop as the fluid evaporates, but if you find that the levels are very low or you have to top them up regularly, this could be a sign of an internal leak.

4. Rust and Discoloration

Internal leaks in a car’s radiator or cooling hoses will cause coolant to spill out. The fluid will burn away quickly but it will leave visible signs of damage. Pop the hood and take a look at the hoses, major engine parts, and radiator. If you notice rust spots or discoloration, this could be a sign that there is a fault in your cooling system.

Bring your car in for a service as soon as possible, when coolant mixes with rust it can affect how efficiently the engine is cooled and over time may lead to further problems like corrosion.

5. Leaking Coolant  

Leaks of any kind are generally bad news and are a sure way to know when something is not working properly. Luckily, major external coolant leaks are easy to spot: look out for a pool of bright green, yellow or pink liquid under your car when it’s parked. Coolant is designed to stop the engine from overheating and freezing in cold temperatures, so it’s important to maintain adequate fluid levels to avoid serious damage to the engine.

If you notice any of these issues, act quickly to avoid further and potentially costly damage to your Kia’s radiator or engine. Contact us today at Crain Kia of Fort Smith for more information on our services and parts.

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