The cooling system is a fairly simple mechanism. The entire goal of the system is to gather and dispense heat. It does this by running through key areas of the engine where the coolant sucks the heat in away from the moving parts of the engine. The coolant is then pumped to the radiator where the coolant is spread out across a field of metal that is exposed to the onrushing air. The heat in the coolant is dispensed into the air and the coolant starts its return to the engine.

Performing a checkup on your coolant system is one of the easier things you’ll do. A word of warning. Only do the checkup when the system is cool. A hot system is under pressure and you really do not want to end up in the hospital due to coolant burns. Hot bad. Cold good. Enough said.

Assuming your car is cool, pop the cap on the radiator. Now take a look at the coolant. It should be a uniform color and there should be no “chunks” or debris flowing around in the coolant. If you see any of these things, your system needs to be flushed and you need new coolant. You can do it yourself, but taking it to a station or oil lube shop is much easier since they can deal with the old coolant.

What if your coolant level is low? Well, fill it up! Okay, hold on. Many car owners make a mistake when doing this. How so? They use water. Water is problematic because many cars now use aluminum components in the engine. Water, aluminum and heat are not good together. The coolant you buy for cars is designed to deal with the corrosion water can cause in the engine. Follow the directions on the brand, but most call for a 50/50 mix with water.

Any coolant system is only as strong as its weakest point. In most car cooling systems, the weakest point can be found in the rubber hoses that run from the engine to the radiator and back again. This means you should check yours. They are easy to find since they run off the top and bottom of the radiator. Give them a squeeze to make sure they are still firm. Make sure to look for wear in the form of heat expansion. You can identify this by looking at the clamps on each end of the hoses. If the hose has blown up around the clamp, the hose needs to go. Hoses are cheap and easy to replace, so error on the side of caution when evaluating them.

That’s it. Assuming there is nothing wrong with your system, a simple 10 minute checkup can have you set for spring and summer. If you live in a particularly hot area, you should look in your manual to see if any particular care steps need to be taken or speak with a dealer. Cars in places like Las Vegas and Phoenix often require particular coolant mixtures.

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