If you are need of water pump or radiator repair in Santa Fe, NM, please contact Master Tech Auto Repair here. 

Your car's cooling system can be complicated.  Fortunately, Master Tech Auto Repair in Santa Fe, NM has the knowledge you need to get it repaired properly.  We wrote the following blog as a service to those who may need some further education on their car's cooling system, so they can make an educated repair decision moving forward.  Feel free to bring your car into us if you think a repair is necessary.

With summer quickly approaching and temperatures rising, now is a perfect time to discuss your car’s cooling system.  Your car’s cooling system is responsible for keeping your engine at a constant temperature, regardless of the temperature outside.  Neglecting this system can lead to pricey repairs down the road, so let’s take some time to learn about the different components of the cooling system and the warning signs you can look for if this system is about to fail.

A car’s cooling system can appear to be complicated if you don’t have much experience under the hood, but most can be simplified into the following components:

• Coolant – This liquid is used to absorb heat from the engine, allowing it to cool and operate at a safe level.  The coolant level can be checked by looking at the coolant reservoir.
• Radiator – The radiator is responsible for cooling the coolant after it has left the engine and is still heated.  The radiator does this by passing the coolant through a large maze of tubes that are cooled by air.
• Radiator Fan – The fan assists in cooling the coolant once it has entered the radiator by pushing air around the radiator tubes.
• Water Pump – The water pump pushes the coolant in a cycle from the engine to the radiator and back again.
• Thermostat – The thermostat keeps coolant from entering the engine until the engine has heated to the appropriate temperature.  Also, it relays the temperature to the driver so you can tell if your system is overheating.

By having a basic understanding of the cooling system, it makes it much easier to identify potential issues or causes of your vehicles overheating.  Experts recommend having your coolant flushed ever 30,000 miles or every two years in order to keep your cooling system healthy and free of corrosion.  However, this does not guarantee that other components of the system will not fail in the meantime.  Here are some of the most typical signs that your cooling system could be experiencing a problem.

Check for a coolant leak.  A lack of coolant will mean that heat cannot leave the engine quickly enough.  Look for these symptoms:

• Check the level of the coolant reservoir
• Coolant in your driveway
• Smoke coming from the engine
• A sweet smell coming from the engine

A faulty thermostat could be sending improper signals to the driver regarding the actual temperature of the engine.  Also, it could prevent coolant from entering the engine completely.  The thermostat could be part of your problem if you are experiencing the following:

• High temperature reading when the car has not been on for a short period of time
• Temperature reading changes erratically
• Engine is overheating and you can’t identify any other problems with the cooling system

The radiator cooling fan helps stabilize the temperature of the coolant.  If this component fails, you could be pumping heated coolant back into the engine.  Check for these following signs to ensure that it is working correctly:

• The fan will be facing the radiator and can either be electric or a mechanical fan driven by the engine.  In either case, if the engine is warm and they are not turning, then your coolant will not get properly cooled, and your engine will overheat.

If any of these problems strike while you are driving, pull over immediately.  Overheating your engine could eventually blow your head gasket, which is much more costly to replace than any of the cooling system components listed above.  Master Tech Auto offers a towing service that will bring your vehicle to our location.  We will be happy to replace any faulty components and provide preventative maintenance in the future.