5 Reasons Your Coolant Might Be Disappearing

Car coolant is commonly a mixture of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol and water, along with corrosion inhibitors. It is also known as antifreeze. Car coolant helps control engine temperature and prevent overheating and freezing in extreme cold weather. Coolants help to maintain engine health and prevent internal damage. The coolant absorbs heat and circulates in the radiator to dissipate heat into the air. Coolants help to lubricate car parts and protect them from corrosion. 

Symptoms of Coolant Disappearance 

During preventive car maintenance, the top transmission repair in St. Peter MO, will check your coolant reserves and levels as a proactive checkup. As a car user, you should look out for some simple symptoms of coolant leakage in your car. These symptoms will be like:

• You can see puddles of colorful liquid under your vehicle. These liquids can be pink, orange, or green.
• You can smell a sweet maple syrup-like smell, particularly when the engine is heated
• Your coolant levels will be low
• Your engine will get overheated and even emit steam.

Look out for these symptoms, and if you see any of them, take your car to the nearest auto mechanic shop.

5 reasons for Coolant leakage

Now that we know the functions of the coolant and the benefits it can offer your car, along with the symptoms of coolant leakage, let us understand the reasons for the problem.

• The head gasket is blown: the first condition when your car’s coolant leaks and gets into the engine cylinders or even the car engine oil system is when the head gasket is blown. If this happens, your car will emit white smoke from the exhaust. The car engine oil will turn milky white and can lead to major engine problems.
• Leaks and cracks in the cylinder head: As the second reason, you must look out for a crack in the cylinder head. This situation can overheat the car engine. In this condition, the car’s coolant can leak out. The symptoms of a leaking cylinder are often similar to those of a blown or damaged head gasket. You can lose potential amounts of the coolant, which can be a pertinent threat to the engine.
• Fault in the water pump: The water pump is responsible for circulating the coolant across the car engine. If there is a problem in the water pump hose or seal, it can lead to leakage in the coolant. The initiation of such leakage is subtle, but it can lead to massive damage.
• Subtle external leaks: Car coolant can also leak from minor leaks in the radiator caps, radiators, and hoses. You can miss the leaks at the start as they are subtle. These leaks become prominent when the car is under pressure or is running. Top car body repair shops near me with market experience often run a car pressure test to identify existing coolant leakages in the car engine. 
• Heater Core Leak: a core heater that heats the interior of the car engine. This part can also leak the car’s coolant. Once inside the driving space, if you smell a sweet fragrance, you must check your coolant immediately. 

Summation thoughts

Car coolant is an integral element and component in automobile engineering. Coolant helps the car function optimally and at the same time protects the car from wear and tear. However, car coolant can leak for various reasons and circumstances. Hence, the best thing to do in this context is to check the car’s coolant health and condition as a measure of car preventive maintenance.