A Car-ful Passion

3 Signs Your Radiator Hose Needs To Be Replaced

The radiator hose is what takes the coolant from the radiator into the engine. Without it, your vehicle would end up overheating and having all sorts of problems. But, how often do you really get into the hoses and check them to make sure they are okay and don't need to be replaced? For the most part, many people ignore the radiator hose until it bursts and they are left with no other choice but to replace the component. To help prevent having the hose blow out and send radiator fluid everywhere, be on the lookout for one of the following signs.

The hose has a bulge in it.

If you notice that your hose has a large bulge in it, that often means something isn't right and needs to be looked at. This bulge is often the result of the hose breaking down and the material expanding from overuse. Even a small bulge could end up bursting at any point in time. When the hose bursts, it is going to send radiator fluid all over the engine components and ultimately cause a world of problems for you driving down the road. Any deformities in the hose need to be taken care of as soon as possible.

The hose is cracked or otherwise worn.

If you notice that the hose is cracked from a visual inspection, that means it might be time to replace it. Hoses tend to wear out and break down from the inside out. By the time the damage is noticeable outside, the hose will have deteriorated significantly inside. Another trick to tell how bad the damage is with your hose is to squeeze the hose when the car is nice and cool. If you hear cracking noises, that means you need to take care of it.

Your hose is older than five years old.

Any component under the hood is only going to last so long. You can save yourself a lot of hassles and headaches by simply having your hose replaced every five years. It isn't that this is a steadfast rule, but it is definitely a great precautionary measure to help save you time and money on other repairs that might need to be done when your hose bursts and your engine overheats.

If you are dealing with any of the above, you need to take your vehicle in to a licensed mechanic like one from Acheson Auto Body and Service Center West and have them look at it for you.


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