Service Coolant Leak

5 Common Reasons for Coolant and Radiator Leaks

1. There's a Hole in the Radiator

   All components in your vehicle's engine are designed to withstand a lot of wear and extreme temperatures. This takes a toll on the engine's operation in different ways. Corrosion inside the radiator is one of the main reasons for a coolant leak. As tubes get older and weaker, sediment and debris within can cause a leak to occur. Sealing gaskets between the tank and radiator can also wear out, causing leaks. Hoses too can get old and brittle, meaning they wont seal well in places where they connect to the radiator, water pump and heater core.

2. Leaky Radiator Cap

   The radiator is extremely pressurized, and though small your radiator cap has a big job of keeping a tight seal that keeps the cooling system at the right pressure during operation. With time though this seal can degrade just like the other components which can cause coolant to escape.

3. Blown Head Gasket

   Your vehicle's head gasket plays a huge role in how well your engine is able to perform. When it blow, you may not realize for a while. You could drive several more miles before you even notice a problem. The head gasket has to manage a wide range of temperatures as well as encounter both extremely high and very low pressure in the engine. It sits between the cylinder head and the engine block and when it develops a leak, it is referred to as “blown.” When this happens it becomes unable to keep engine oil and coolant separate, which is extremely dangerous and can lead to engine failure. This can also lead to coolant leaking itself, hampering your car's ability to regulate its temperature.

4. Your Water Pump Has Failed

   Your water pump plays a vital role in ensuring coolant is being circulated through the system. Its usually driven by a belt and is located on the lower part of the engine near the drive belts. It connects to the lower hose of the radiator, but sometimes that hose connection can become loose or it might corrode. It may also suffer some sort of external damage that causes it to spring a leak. Whatever the cause, when your water pump has an issue that prevents it from moving coolant through the system, your engine will overheat eventually.

5. Expansion Tank Issues

   Cars have an expansion tank to help supply coolant to the radiator. Its the plastic container beside the engine. Usually, its connected to the radiator via a robber house feeding and receiving coolant to and from the radiator as the engine heats up or cools down. With time and exposure the plastic tank can weaken as well as the parts attached to it. The container can creak or the cap may leak which lets coolant escape. Or the hose running to the radiator deteriorates which leads to a loose connection that lets fluid leak.