When it comes to your automobile’s cooling system, there are many myths out there that many people simply believe by default. Many of these myths sound believable (or too good to be true), but today we are here to clarify many of the most popular cooling system maintenance myths. If you believe any of the myths below, change your view today; otherwise, you may need auto repair in St. Paul, MN sooner rather than later.
Cooling systems do not need maintenance
This is one of the most common cooling system maintenance myths. Many believe that cooling systems actually need zero maintenance, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, in some vehicles, a cooling system could cause rust and other rust-like particles to become charged electrically, which could make the coolant in the cooling system corrosive. Thus, this could damage a wide array of areas in your automobile, such as your engine and yes, even the cooling system.
Small coolant drips are no big deal
No, they are not. While you may believe that a small puddle of coolant isn’t necessarily a big deal, it’s something you certainly need to worry about – even at a legal level. You see, federal and your state’s laws state that it is illegal to dump hazardous substances (such as antifreeze – the fluid that is dripping out of your coolant system) into water on the surface. Anytime you drive your vehicle with a coolant drip, you are breaking this law, as rainwater will wash coolant into storm drains.
Not to mention that coolant tastes sweet, but is extremely poisonous. To say that it’s irresponsible to allow your car to leak coolant is an understatement. A leaking cooling system will even split your radiator in half, dumping the stored coolant all over the ground. If you spot a leak in your cooling system, take your vehicle to a trusted professional of auto repair in St. Paul, MN immediately!
Overheating car? Stop driving
While seeing smoke rise from your automobile’s hood is enough to make you want to pull over and shut the car off, this is always the wrong decision. Rather, increase the speed of your automobile. This will allow the coolant and airflow to increase, which will help in cooling your automobile. You should also consider turning on your heater to the highest setting. This will dump all of the heat from your engine inside your automobile, thus saving your engine (albeit at the sacrifice of your comfortability).
Keep the coolant full, your vehicle will be fine
Coolant levels are ideal to keep an eye on, but that isn’t where cooling system maintenance ends. Coolant can break down like any other fluid in your automobile, meaning you need to regularly perform coolant flushes; and a specialist in auto repair in St. Paul, MN can help you with this. With a flush, all of the contaminants in your coolant will be removed, thus prolonging the life of your automobile in the process.