Vehicles five years and older are prime candidates for cooling system troubles; troubles that could strike when least expected. NARSA experts report that cooling system service is most frequent on vehicles with more than 50,000 miles. However, NARSA experts note that the mileage on a vehicle is not as big a factor in the maintenance of a cooling system as is the vehicle's age.
An aging vehicle has been exposed over time to environmental factors that can harm a car's cooling system. Salt from ocean air, road salt, debris and other chemicals tend to break down the metal in a radiator core.

The radiator, an integral part of the cooling system, is designed to protect an engine from the destructive forces of too much heat. Heat is produced every time a vehicle is driven. That's why it is so important to have your car's cooling system, especially the radiator, checked at least once every two years.

Radiator and cooling system specialists offer a variety of services, including flushing out radiator and cooling systems, repairing leaks and other damage to copper/brass and aluminum/plastic radiators, checking thermostats and fixing broken hoses or cracked belts. They can check for corrosion and debris and often may spot and address potential problems, helping to prevent emergency car repairs down the road.

A vehicle's cooling system is designed to protect the engine from the destructive forces of too much heat. If the system isn't in good repair, simple tasks such as sitting idle in rush-hour traffic can cause a vehicle to overheat even when temperatures drop below the freezing mark.

However, if you do get caught in traffic and you notice the temperature gauge beginning to rise, the National Automotive Radiator Service Association (NARSA) says there are some things you can try to keep your vehicle from overheating.

Give it a little gas. This will enable the vehicle to get rid of some of the engine heat.
Turn on the heater. The heater will draw some of the heat from the engine to the inside of the vehicle.
Turn off the vehicle. Once you safely have pulled off of the road, turn off the vehicle to let the engine cool down.
Finally, have your vehicle inspected by a radiator specialist. Radiator specialists have expertise in targeting cooling system problems, which could range from a clogged radiator core to low engine coolant to an inoperable engine fan.

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