If your car suddenly starts to overheat and lose water, you will likely be alarmed. You might even assume that you may have damaged some critical parts such as the engine. Today's economy does not make it easy for some individuals to be prepared to get a new car at a moment's notice. This is why a leak of any kind should be treated as an emergency, and an auto repair shop should make the final determination regarding the cause of a leak. One of the biggest mistakes car owners make is assuming that the fluid they see leaking from their vehicles is water. There are other fluids that might look like water at first glance. If the fluid leak is water, the following points identify a few potential causes.
Radiator Issue
Radiators and their hoses can get damaged over time. Thankfully, they can easily be replaced. A working radiator with worn hoses can stay installed. An auto repair shop can replace the hoses, which should correct the overheating and water leak issue. The problem is that some car owners ignore the seriousness and make attempt to keep adding water to their vehicles instead of seeking a repair.
Expansion Tank Issue
These tanks work in harmony with radiators. They are plastic containers that store coolant and water. There is an exchange process that occurs with the radiator to supply it with coolant as needed. When the exchange goes as intended, vehicles do not overheat. However, if the rubber hose or container gets damaged, vehicles are prone to overheating and leaks. It is not uncommon for the containers to get damaged and require replacement as they age. This is because they are located in close proximity to engines and radiators, which both heat up.
Thermostat Issues
The thermostats in vehicles control their temperature. If the engines are at an optimal temperature, the thermostat will not send a "message" to the valve responsible for releasing coolant to open. However, when it senses heat, the valve should open to release coolant and prevent overheating. A faulty thermostat cannot sense elevated temperatures. Therefore, overheating will occur and coolant will not be dispensed through the valve.
An auto repair shop is the best resource to use for water leaks. The sooner that they can diagnose a vehicle, the better the odds are of a successful repair. Fluid leaks should never get dismissed as unimportant. Water leaking from a vehicle might not seem as important as an oil or transmission fluid leak. However, water and coolant are necessary to prevent engines from overheating. Excessive heat can severely damage an engine.
Visit websites like http://www.autorepairhighdesert.com/ to learn more.
Share7 September 2021
After my car died and I was stranded on the freeway a few years back, I knew that I had to do what I could to avoid similar issues in the future. I began working hard to identify different issues with my car, so that I could prevent problems. I began working with a mechanic to get help, and he taught me a lot about going through my car and being able to evaluate different things that were problems. It was really interesting to explore the possibilities of different car failures, and before I knew it, I could tell when my car was struggling. Read more about the early signs of car trouble on my blog.