When a vehicle is in motion, or simply running, you can bet that the engine is producing a mass amount of heat. This heat can quickly build up and destroy an engine if proper care and attention is not given. One of the principle factors to not letting a car engine overheat, is to protect and responsibly maintain its coolant system. This means regular antifreeze refills and car radiator flushes. Coolant should be inspected just as often as other routine car fluid maintenance schedules; like oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, battery fluid, and more. A vehicle is a serious responsibility, and requires a certain level of attention in order to ensure proper performance, safety, and longevity. Continue reading to learn more about car radiators and tips for safe inspection.

Car Radiators

The most common injury sustained when it comes to DIY car radiator inspections and service is upper extremity burns. Hands, fingers, palms, forearms, and more are all vulnerable to the strikingly intense burn that comes from boiling-hot car radiators and caps. The first thing to master before checking your own car radiator, is to avoid getting burned.

Here’s some tips on avoiding radiator burns:

⚙ Turn Off the Ignition and Wait for the Engine to Cool Completely

Just because the hood of a vehicle feels cool or slightly warm to the touch DOES NOT mean the radiator fluid inside is cool. If this liquid has not come down from its boiling temperatures yet, neither has the radiator.

⚙ Always Use a Rag or Burn-Resistant Glove

It is encouraged to use a rag, cloth, or burn-resistant glove even AFTER the engine has cooled down. As mentioned before, a seemingly cool vehicle may still pose a burn-threat underneath the hood. It is best to unscrew the radiator cap with some sort of skin protection, like a towel or glove. Remember the system is pressurized. It is better to be safe then screaming!

⚙ Always Tilt the Cap

When you are removing the cap to the radiator, be sure to always tilt the cap away from your face. This avoids getting sprayed in the face with any pressurized antifreeze that has worked its way up the system. Again, make sure the vehicle has cooled down before attempting to open the radiator cap!

Indianapolis Auto Repair and Service

Call Northeast Auto Service at 317-475-1846 for professional car radiator repair in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are ASE licensed and certified car mechanics who provide a wide range of foreign and domestic auto repair services, as well as, free estimates, automotive service coupons, and more. Call 317-475-1846 to request a free estimate for Indianapolis auto repair, today.