With proper maintenance, your vehicle’s radiator should last 8 to 10 years. 

The car’s radiator works to remove heat and cool the engine. In order to not overheat, the radiator pumps coolant through the extremely hot engine in order to control the temperature, in turn avoiding a number of disasters such as broken seals and gaskets, major oil leaks and melting metal.

When the radiator is not working efficiently, it can cause some serious damage!

Signs your radiator is in trouble:

• Your temperature gauge is running hot and the car is overheating. This could be accompanied by steam billowing out from under the hood. It may or may not be to the point where the radiator has completely failed so it is important to address the issue immediately or else the car will continue to overheat and eventually break down.
• Brown sludge in radiator. Coolant should be yellow, green or red. If the radiator is on the brink of breakdown then the coolant can be contaminated making it a rusty or black colour. This turns into sludge and then will start to affect the cooling efficiency. This needs to be addressed ASAP and likely result in a radiator replacement as it can cause extensive damage to the engine.
• Your coolant levels are running low. You should regularly check the oil and coolant levels in your car. If you notice your coolant is running unusually low since it was last topped up, you may have a leak. A mechanic will check your levels at your service intervals and it is unusual for you to have to make additional top ups in-between these periods unless however you should always check them before making a long driving trip.
• You have a coolant leak. If you notice a visible leak when your vehicle has been parked, such as a pool of coolant, you likely have a leak.
   

If you experience any of these signs or run into overheating issues, your radiator is likely failing and you should seek the advice of a mechanic as soon as possible.

Red Devil Radiators are trained and qualified technicians look after every aspect of cooling system repairs, keeping you safe on the road