Leak in the cooling system

A leak in the cooling system can create some serious problems. The cooling system circulates coolant through the engine to absorb heat and keep the engine within a specific temperature range. It also uses engine heat to provide the heater with warm air.

Table of Contents

• 1. Symptoms
  • 1.1 Engine Overheats
  • 1.2 Low Coolant Indicator Light Comes On
  • 1.3 Heater Blows Cold Air Always

Symptoms

Engine Overheats

A leaking cooling system will be unable to dissipate the heat from the engine. This can lead to additional problems such as engine seizing.

Low Coolant Indicator Light Comes On

Some vehicles have a dashboard indicator light that signals when coolant levels are low. A leak in the cooling system will eventually trigger this indicator.

Heater Blows Cold Air Always

The coolant uses engine heat to heat the air. The coolant remains inside the engine until it reaches a certain temperature. Once this temperature is reached, the coolant will circulate through other engine parts such as the radiator and the heater core.

With a leak in the cooling system, the heater core will not receive enough coolant to warm the air sufficiently.