After a fender bender, check what is behind the bumper
A minor front-end bump in a parking lot often gets judged by the paint. The bumper cover pops back, the scuff buffs out, and the car seems fine. The part worth worrying about is the one you cannot see.
On most cars the radiator sits just behind the grille and the bumper, with the A/C condenser directly in front of it and the cooling fan behind. Modern bumpers are mostly plastic and foam, and a knock that leaves little mark on the outside can still push into those parts.
What happens next is often delayed, which is why it catches people out:
- A slow leak from a cracked radiator tank or a pushed fitting, showing up days later as a puddle or a dropping coolant level.
- A fan that rubs or rattles because its shroud was pushed out of place.
- Bent fins on the radiator or condenser, which block airflow and show up as running warm in traffic or weaker A/C.
- A loose mounting bracket that lets the radiator move and chafe a hose.
What to do after a bump
Check the coolant level at the see-through reservoir, with the engine cold, for the next week or two. Look under the front of the car where you park. Watch the temperature gauge in stop-and-go traffic. Any change is a reason to book a check rather than wait.
If an insurance claim is open, mention it. A record of what was found helps if cooling damage turns up after the body work is done.
Never open a radiator cap on a hot engine. The system is under pressure and the coolant can be scalding.
What the visit covers
A pressure test to find any leak, the radiator, hoses, fan and mountings, and the condenser in front. The national cooling system page covers what to do if the gauge ever reaches the red. Weaker cold air after a bump is A/C service, and a pull in the steering is car and light truck alignment, both at this store.
Other stores nearby
The Paducah Commercial & Consumer store and Princeton also offer cooling system service.
About this store
This is the Paducah consumer store, the car and light truck listing in town, managed by Corey Green. See the Paducah city page for both stores.
See the national cooling system page for all 33 locations.