Have you noticed a strangely sweet aroma coming from your vehicle recently? Or, perhaps you’ve seen puddles of bright green, orange, red or blue liquid forming beneath your car? In addition to this, you may have noticed that your vehicle’s been overheating or running hot lately. Well, if you’ve been experiencing one or all of the aforementioned symptoms, then it’s highly likely that you’re dealing with a coolant leak within your vehicle.
What is Coolant?
Coolant, also known as antifreeze, is a coloured liquid that is used within your vehicle in order to regulate the temperature of the engine. The temperature and weather conditions experienced outside your vehicle is always changing. Moreover, if your engine gets too hot or too cold, it can cause severe damage that will most likely result in highly expensive repairs or replacements. Since engine coolant is in a liquid state, it is able to effectively transfer heat and prevent the engine from overheating or freezing. Aside from this, coolant is also responsible for protecting metal, rubber and plastic components within the cooling circuit and engine.
Consequences of a Coolant Leak
Coolant leaks most commonly occur in the hoses that connect your engine to your radiator, however they can also occur in the radiator itself and in head gaskets. A coolant leak will affect your vehicle’s performance in the following ways:
- Decreased Fuel Economy: If your coolant is leaking, it’s likely that you’ll experience decreased fuel economy within your vehicle. This means that your vehicle will be using up more fuel than usual, which can end up being pretty expensive.
- Reduced Engine Power: Reduced engine power is another common symptom. Your engine’s power will start to decline when it’s temperature can no longer be regulated effectively.
- Engine Overheating: An overheating engine is perhaps the dire consequence out of them all. An overheating engine can cause small components such as heads and gaskets to crack, whilst also causing the cylinder heads inside the engine to warp as a result of the extreme heat. If your engine gets seriously overheated, the coolant can even start to boil. This is incredibly serious, as it may cause your engine to explode.
How to Identify and Resolve a Coolant Leak
It’s important to have a coolant leak resolved as soon as possible if you want to avoid detrimental damage to your vehicle’s engine, as well as costly replacements. So, to help you identify the source of the leak as soon as possible, we’ve provided a few helpful tips down below:
Check for a Sweet Aroma and Puddles
As mentioned previously, the smell of a sweet aroma along with puddles of different coloured liquid forming beneath your car are two of the most obvious signs of a coolant leak. You will generally be able to smell the sweet aroma of the coolant liquid straight after you’ve finished driving and hopped out of your vehicle. Coolant can be found in many different colours because the additives in it differ depending on what your vehicle may need.
Look Out for a Blown Head Gasket
A coolant leak that has occurred as a result of a blown head gasket will be harder to identify, as the issues will be affecting your vehicle internally. To check for a blown head gasket, keep an eye on your vehicle’s temperature gauge and take note if it’s overheating. Aside from this, you should also keep an eye out for white-ish smoke escaping from your tailpipe. If you check the oil levels of your vehicle and notice that your oil is unusually white or foamy, this also points towards a blown head gasket, as it indicates that coolant has leaked into the engine oil.
Bring Your Vehicle into a Trusted Mechanic
If you want to make sure that the problem is resolved as quickly and carefully as properly, trusting in a reputable auto technician is essential. Keep in mind that the longer you ignore a coolant leak, the more likely it is to cause serious damage and problems with your vehicle. Needless to say, it’s important to contact a mechanic immediately when you suspect a coolant leak. Furthermore, you should refrain from driving your vehicle until the issue is resolved.
At European Prestige Auto Service, we take pride in offering luxury maintenance and repair services for a range of prestigious vehicle makes and models. Moreover, our experienced auto technicians are fully equipped with the relevant expertise, as well as the latest technology. So, if you’re suspecting a coolant leak, don’t wait until it’s too late. Trust in our well-versed team to provide your vehicle with the high level of care it deserves.
Contact European Prestige Auto Service today to book an appointment for your vehicle.
