Check it before the towing season, not on the way up the canyon
A cooling system that copes perfectly well with daily driving can be close to its limit without anyone knowing. Towing is what finds the limit.
Pulling a camper, a boat or a work trailer asks the engine for far more power for far longer, and every bit of extra power comes with extra heat. Add a summer afternoon and a long climb, and the system is being asked for its full capacity, sometimes for the first time all year.
The parts most likely to give out under that load are the ones that have aged quietly: a radiator partly blocked inside or with debris packed in its fins, a fan that is not engaging as it should, a hose gone soft, or a thermostat that sticks.
What a pre-season check looks at
- Coolant level and condition, and any sign of a leak.
- Hoses and the radiator cap, which holds the pressure the system depends on.
- The radiator fins, front and back, for dirt, bugs and debris.
- The fan, and whether it comes on when it should.
- The temperature gauge behavior on a test drive.
While you are towing
Watch the gauge rather than waiting for a warning light. A needle that climbs above where it normally sits on a long grade is the system saying it is working at its edge. Easing off, and turning the cabin heater on full, moves heat away from the engine and buys time.
If the gauge goes high and stays there, stop somewhere safe and let it cool. Never open a hot radiator cap.
What this store covers
Diagnosis and repair of the cooling system on cars and light trucks. A fault that turns out to be the engine itself is engine repair, and cabin cooling is A/C service, both here. The national cooling system page covers the warning signs in more detail.
Other stores nearby
The Salt Lake City Truck Tire Center and Orem also offer cooling system service.
About this store
This is the Salt Lake City Commercial & Consumer store, managed by Brian Morris. The Salt Lake City page lists the other three listings.
See the national cooling system page for all 33 locations.