How serious is a cracked radiator?
A cracked radiator may not seem like a big deal, but it is. Do not drive your car with a damaged or cracked radiator. Your radiator is key to keeping your engine cool. Continuing to drive your car can cause your engine to overheat, which can cause major damage, including catastrophic transmission and engine failure.
Can a car work without a radiator?
It can absolutely be started without a radiator. You will not cause any damage as long as the engine does not overheat. If you don’t run it long enough for the engine to get too hot, it’s not an issue.
Is it dangerous to drive with a cracked radiator?
If you do not change your coolant enough, the radiator can start to corrode and crack over time. This can cause the radiator to leak and the engine to overheat. A cracked radiator can be dangerous to drive with because the engine may overheat.
What to look for in a cracked radiator?
Some things to watch out for include: Coolant puddle: One sign of a cracked radiator is leaking coolant. The coolant fluid is red or green in color, so if you see a puddle of this under your vehicle, contact a mechanic as soon as possible.
Can a one year old radiator start cracking?
A one year old radiator doesn’t usually just start cracking under normal operating conditions unless it was a very very low quality unit or it had a defect of some kind. It also wouldn’t hurt to take the car to a different shop and get a second opinion as mentioned above.
How much does it cost to fix a cracked radiator?
The price to fix a cracked radiator will vary greatly depending on the make and model of the vehicle as well as how you choose to get the radiator fixed. If you need a complete replacement and get it repaired at a shop, your costs will be much higher than a simple patch job or attempting to seal a leak with a stop leak solution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lungnfd_9iw