Cooling & Heating

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How to Check Your Vehicle's Air Filter

In most newer, fuel-injected vehicles, the air filter is found inside a rectangular box called a cold air collector box. The air filter is usually close to the front of the vehicle, near the inside of [more…]

How to Check a Vehicle's Coolant/Antifreeze

The radiator in your vehicle cools your engine and needs water and coolant (antifreeze) to function. Keep the following points in mind as you check the level of the liquid in your cooling system and add [more…]

How to Troubleshoot an Overheating Engine

The first sign of a vehicle overheating is either when the needle on the temperature gauge pushes its way into the ominous red zone or the “Check Engine” or “Temperature” malfunction indicator light on [more…]

How to Safely Check the Fluid in a Vehicle's Coolant System

To keep your cooling system cool, check the fluid level in the system and, if necessary, add water and coolant. It’s dangerous to remove the pressure cap from the radiator or coolant recovery system reservoir [more…]

How to Add Liquid to a Coolant Recovery System

If your car has a coolant recovery system, you can check the level of liquid on the side of the plastic reservoir. You just open the cap on the reservoir to check whether the coolant looks as though it [more…]

How to Check and Add Liquid to a Radiator

If you don’t have a pressurized coolant recovery system, you have to add liquid directly to the radiator. If you must add liquid to the radiator if the engine is still warm, always do so slowly with the [more…]

How to Test the Quality of Your Engine Coolant/Antifreeze

The coolant in your vehicle should be changed if you haven’t changed it in a year or in the past 20,000 miles; if your vehicle constantly loses liquid in the system and overheats easily; or if you’ve frequently [more…]

How to Use Coolants Safely

When you flush your vehicle's cooling system yourself, it’s important to avoid endangering children and animals. Because coolant looks and tastes good, a puddle can be hazardous to children. That goes [more…]

How to Flush Your Vehicle's Cooling System

If your vehicle’s owner’s manual has instructions for draining the liquid from the cooling system, follow them. If you don’t have a manual, or if it lacks such instructions for flushing the cooling system [more…]

How to Find Leaks in Your Vehicle's Cooling System

In addition to keeping the water and coolant level where it needs to be, you can prevent trouble in your car's cooling system by keeping an eye out for leaks and replacing old or damaged hoses. The common [more…]

How to Replace a Radiator or Heater Hose

The basic process of changing a hose is quite simple. If the hose is a radiator or heater hose, to catch the coolant and water that will run out of the system, you’ll need a bucket or pan that holds at [more…]

Troubleshooting Cooling System Leaks

When you find a leak in your engine's cooling system, you must decide whether to handle it yourself or to take it to a professional. The following sections cover the different types of leaks and give you [more…]

How to Replace Your Vehicle's Thermostat

If your vehicle has been overheating or doesn’t warm up properly, you may need to replace your thermostat. If the thermostat sticks in the open position, it doesn’t keep the liquid in the engine long enough [more…]

What to Do If Your Car Overheats

Cars overheat most often in very hot weather. It’s rare with modern vehicles, but even a well-tuned automobile can overheat. If you find yourself in stop-and-go traffic or climbing a steep grade on an [more…]