Question 1

What does a radiator do in a car?

Accepted Answer

Your radiator is responsible for keeping the coolant in your cooling system working at its optimum temperature. Each radiator is made of flat tubes covered with thin fins with tanks running down each side. As the coolant flows through the tubes, the fins conduct the heat and dissipate it into the atmosphere. In many cars, there's also a big fan mounted at the front of the engine that blows air across the radiator, helping the process along.

Question 2

How do you know when your car needs a new radiator?

Accepted Answer

The tell-tale signs are most commonly when your car is overheating. You'll spot this on your dashboard's temperature gauge, generally rising well into the red section at the right-hand-side of the scale, and more than likely backed up with a 'check engine' warning light.It's also likely that you'll see liquid leaking from the front of your car. The fluid will be tinted with the colour of the coolant—red, green or yellow, depending on your vehicle.

Question 3

What causes the radiator to go bad in the car?

Accepted Answer

There are a few reasons this could happen. The coolant could become contaminated with debris, which could lead to a blockage in the tubes. This debris could be from scale that builds up on the internal passageways. Sometimes, when the radiator breaks down, and the transmission fluid finds its way into your coolant, creating a sludge-like mixture. If you spot this rusty looking gloop, it's imperative to replace your radiator as soon as possible.

Question 4

How often do car radiators need to be replaced?

Accepted Answer

Our general rule of thumb would be between 8 and 10 years. However, it all depends on the make and model of your car. That said, if your radiator is working as it should, you may get years more wear out of it without having to replace it. Metal radiators can be prone to excessive corrosion in poor weather conditions, as well as suffering potential damage thrown up from the road beneath the car.

Question 5

How long does it take to replace a radiator?

Accepted Answer

Fitting a new car radiator usually takes around 2 or 4 hours. There are additional factors that could affect the process, such as broken belts, jammed bolts and the condition of associated components and fixings, but generally, a qualified mechanic shouldn't have a problem sticking within this timeframe.

Question 6

Can you drive a car with a bad radiator?

Accepted Answer

It depends what's wrong with your radiator and how badly it's affected. Driving with a leaky radiator is dangerous at the best of times, so you really should avoid doing so wherever possible. If your car is overheating, you should stop immediately, or as soon as it's safe to do so. Overheating could cause irreparable damage to your engine. You should avoid driving your car even if your radiator only has a slight leak. A small drip can often expand into a far more severe problem, so it's better to deal with the issue before it gets any worse.

Question 7

Can I replace the radiator myself?

Accepted Answer

If you're a competent and confident DIY mechanic, then radiator replacement, with the right tools and equipment, should be within your skillsets. Having said that, if you're not entirely sure what you're doing, or you haven't swapped a radiator over before, we'd recommend choosing a qualified mechanic to make sure nothing is damaged during the process. If you do decide to do the work yourself, don't forget to have plenty of the correct coolant to refill your system.

Car make and model	Average dealer price	Price estimate	Average savings
Audi Q7	£478	£391 - £478	£43
Renault Megane IV	£255	£203 - £248	£29
Ford EcoSport	£347	£252 - £308	£67
Proton Persona	£341	£260 - £317	£52
Mercedes CLC-Class	£362	£294 - £359	£36
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso	£303	£216 - £264	£62
Citroen C3 Picasso	£320	£226 - £277	£68
Renault Be Bop	£330	£240 - £293	£64
Audi S3 Cabrio	£443	£316 - £387	£91
Jaguar XJ	£660	£512 - £626	£91
Audi Q7	£478	£391 - £478	£43
Renault Megane IV	£255	£203 - £248	£29
Ford EcoSport	£347	£252 - £308	£67
Proton Persona	£341	£260 - £317	£52
Mercedes CLC-Class	£362	£294 - £359	£36

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Our expert insights into Radiator replacement

Our expert insights into Radiator replacement

What does a car radiator do?

What are the symptoms of a malfunctioning car radiator?

How much does it cost to fix my car?

What happens when we carry out a radiator replacement on your car?

What does a car radiator do?

What are the symptoms of a malfunctioning car radiator?

How much does it cost to fix my car?

What happens when we carry out a radiator replacement on your car?

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