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3 Signs Your Ford Needs a Radiator Repair

Apr 7, 2023
A vehicle radiator.

Your engine’s health depends on your Ford’s efficient cooling system to control the heat in the engine compartment. Excessive heat buildup can result in major, even fatal, engine damage. The radiator is a vital part of this cooling system, and any wear or damage will inevitably cause problems for your car. These are a few signs that you need to visit your Ford dealer for a radiator repair.

Damaged Fins

The front of your radiator is converted into rows of thin aluminum tubes that provide a large surface area for cooling. The heat from the engine is captured by liquid coolant flowing through your engine. The coolant is pumped into the radiator where it separates into the tubes. Air flowing in through the radiator grille passes over the tubes and removes the heat via heat exchange.

The tubes are delicate and can be easily damaged by grit, sand, or any other hard objects drawn in through the radiator grille. As more tubes are bent or otherwise damaged, the surface area for cooling is steadily reduced. Once enough tubes have been damaged, your radiator won’t be able to cool the hot coolant, and your engine will overheat. We may be able to repair the tubes, or we’ll replace the radiator to fix this problem.

High Engine Temperature

The temperature gauge on your dash is invaluable, as it provides an early warning of overheating. When your engine is running, the heat level inside it will rapidly build up and the cooling system will intervene to control the rising temperature. When your engine is working correctly, the temperate reading should hover around the center of the gauge.

You may see a sudden spike in engine temperature when you accelerate or if you’re towing a heavy load and driving uphill. This spike should drop as the cooling system speeds up to compensate. Should you see the temperate gauge rising for no apparent reason, you could have a radiator or cooling system problem. We advise calling us ASAP, so our technicians can investigate and fix the problem.

Coolant Leak

Coolant plays a vital role in your engine, as it’s responsible for capturing the excess engine heat and removing it from your engine. This liquid continually flows through the engine at high speed and under high pressure. Coolant can easily reach temperatures of 300 F before it’s cooled in the radiator, and these temperatures can eventually result in wear and tear in the cooling system.

The two obvious signs of a coolant leak are a steadily increasing engine temperature and a pool of blue, pink, green, or yellow fluid underneath your car. If you’re experiencing either of these problems, we advise calling our service department ASAP so we can trace and repair the leak.

If your engine temperature is too high, call us immediately at Medford Motors!

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