Engine Heating & Cooling Systems

One of the most obvious signs you’re dealing with a coolant leak is if where you park your vehicle suddenly has puddles of bright green, orange, or pink fluid underneath it. Make sure to clean it up especially if you have animals or young children as it is very poisonous to ingest. Additionally, if you’re noticing your coolant level seems to be dropping between top-offs or your engine is running hotter than normal it could all be signs that you have a coolant leak somewhere. Don’t just add water and hope for the best, be sure you get it properly diagnosed so that you know what you’re dealing with. The sooner you know what is happening the more likely you’ll prevent a catastrophic failure with your cooling system.

Antifreeze or coolant is toxic and disposing of it properly is very important for the environment as well as your animals and children. At VIP, we accept up to 4 gallons per visit for free to recycle for you.

At VIP, we’ll check your whole system to make sure every component is working together and helping your engine stay at the right temperature. That means we’ll check your radiator, cooling fan, thermostat, water pump, and all the hoses that connect tha system. If something’s worn or leaking, we’ll tell you exactly what it is and get your written approval before moving foward with any repairs.

Definitely, and it can happen a lot faster than you expect. Engines that experience sustained overheating can warp cylinder heads, damage gaskets, and lead to engine failure. Overheating engines are one of the situations where getting it looked at ASAP is the right call. Most VIP’s are open 7 days a week, so make an appointment and we’ll take care of you.

First, overheating engines can be scary and anxiety-inducing, but don’t panic and certainly don’t ignore it. First, try turning off the A/C and if the temperature keeps climbing, pull over safely, and shut off the engine. Let yoru engine cool completely before opening the hood. Once it’s safe, you should call AAA or another tow service or give us a call so we can walk you through how to get it seen safely. An overheating engein can cause serious damage if you keep driving.

One of the easiest ways to know if your car’s cooling system needs to be looked at is the temperature gauge on your dash. If that temperature gauge keeps creeping into the red, you see steam suddenly coming from underneath your hood, you smell a strange sweet smell which could indicate a coolant leak, or if your heater is suddenly blowing cool/cold air those are all signs your car is telling you something is off with your cooling system. It’s best to get it looked at sooner rather than later as it could lead to your engine overheating. Turn to VIP and our Certified Automotive Professionals will look at your radiator, hoses, thermostat, and water pump to determine the core issue.