Properly maintaining your car’s radiator can make a huge difference in how long your car lasts. Well-maintained radiators could add extra years and thousands of extra miles to your vehicle.
Here’s how to properly maintain your car’s radiator.
Flush Your Radiator
Flushing your car’s radiator is one of the best ways to remove any build-up of residue that might accumulate inside of it. It’ll keep your radiator running properly and stop it from being congested.
Experts suggest you flush your car’s radiator at least once a year. This time frame can be extended by a few months but it’s important to aim for about once a year.
Check Your Fluid
Coolant is vital to a healthy car radiator. Consistently checking your car’s coolant levels is another great way to maintain its radiator.
Coolant stops your car from overheating. That means if the vehicle runs too hot, the coolant will be there to cool it off. Also, coolant will work to keep the vehicle warm if it gets too cold outside. For these reasons, it’s important to consistently check your fluids to maintain a healthy car radiator.
Drive Your Car More
Driving your car is an underrated way to keep the radiator working properly. In general, driving a vehicle is good for the engine and other parts like the radiator. Specifically, long drives are better than shorter ones. Your radiator will have time to work and do its job of cooling the car down and that’s a good sign.
It’s always better to take your car for a ride on the highway at least once or twice a month. It’ll let your car burn for a while without any interruptions and it won’t be hard on your brakes either. You’ll find that the more you run your car, the better it’ll perform and the longer it’ll last.
Don’t Weigh Your Car Down
The more your car weighs, the more the radiator of your vehicle has to work to cool it down. That means if you weigh your car down by putting too much in it then it’ll put more stress on the radiator and cause it to malfunction quicker.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t put things into your car. It just means that you should avoid loading any vehicle with an oversized load. It’ll put additional stress on the radiator and shorten its life span.
Why This All Matters
Get regular radiator maintenance. Getting your entire vehicle checked over once a year is another great way to make sure your radiator stays healthy and running. You can take your car to a mechanic or the dealer at any time and ask them to inspect the radiator and your car in general. It’s kind of like getting a check-up for your car.
During these annual check-ups, mechanics will tell you if they spot anything out of place with your vehicle. They’ll advise you on the best route to take about any external or internal flaws, including the vehicle’s radiator. It’s important to take your car for these check-ups regularly because they will help your vehicle last a longer life and more miles.
