Excessive heat is the greatest threat to a truck’s engine. The radiator and cooling system are our engine’s primary defenses against the ever-present threat of overheating. If your radiator runs into any of the following problems, take your truck in for radiator repair at your nearest Ford dealership before the engine develops far more serious and costly trouble.
Your Temperature Gauge Is Rising
Modern Ford trucks have very accurate engine temperature gauges displayed on the instrument panel. If you ever notice the needle ticking up into the overheating zone, your radiator may be malfunctioning and may no longer be able to keep your engine cool.
When the gauge tells you the engine is overheating, pull over at once. Allow your engine to cool down before driving cautiously to your nearest dealership to have a technician diagnose the problem. If it’s a long way to your nearest dealership, it may be safer to have your truck towed rather than risk the damage overheating may cause.
Your Coolant Is Turning Brown
Radiators can sometimes suffer from rust. You’re likely to easily notice external rust, but radiators can also rust internally, especially if the coolant is aging and losing its anti-rust properties.
If your radiator begins to rust on the inside, you’ll see the coolant turning a rusty brown color when you check the coolant reservoir. A technician may be able to flush out and clean away internal rust.
Your Coolant Is Leaking
It’s possible for coolant to leak from a rusty radiator or from a loose or cracked radiator cap or hose connection. If your radiator is leaking coolant, you might notice a brightly colored liquid puddling under your truck. It’s best to have a coolant leak repaired promptly, so the radiator can continue to keep your engine cool.
Your Radiator’s Fins Are Damaged
The radiator’s fins allow heat to escape from the coolant as it passes through. If the fins become damaged by an impact, careless pressure washing, a stone, or if they become clogged by dirt and mulch, then they can no longer properly release heat. Clogged fins can usually be cleaned, but any worse damage may mean you need a new radiator.
Your Cabin’s Heater Stops Working
The engine heat captured and then released by the coolant is recycled into the heating system for your truck’s cabin. So, if you find one day that your cabin heater isn’t blowing hot air, a faulty radiator may be to blame.
Your Ford Dealer Identifies a Problem
While flushing your coolant and inspecting your cooling system during routine scheduled maintenance, the technicians at your local dealership are likely to find and fix potential radiator problems while the problems are still small and harmless. This is why regular preventative maintenance is so important for any truck driver.
Have the radiator and cooling system of your truck examined and repaired today at Mission Valley Ford Trucks. We’ve been providing excellent vehicles and customer service to the truck drivers of San Jose and the South Bay area since 1986.
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