Why is my car going through coolant so fast? Losing coolant in car might signal an unmaintained cooling system, equipment malfunction, or even a shift in driving style.
Whatever the source, you must treat the issue before it escalates into a more significant and costly cure.
Coolant loss might ruin your engine once a minor leak grows into a bigger leak and the motor overheats without adequate time to cool.
So, if you want to find the reasons and how to fix the coolant escape problems, keep staying to see more!
Why Is My Car Going Through Coolant So Fast?
Occasionally, your car’s engine coolant leaks. The reason your car keeps losing coolant is always due to some most common reasons:
- Radiator cap leaks
- An internal leak
- An external leak
- Blown head gasket
Radiator Cap Leaks
If the radiator cap is not as firm as it is supposed to be, or if it is fragile and old, it can lose system coolant via the overflow pipe.
Such a situation will occur each time you drive the car for an extended period.
Radiators are pressured; thus, pressure will be released if the radiator cap is put inappropriately, incorrectly, or unsuitable for your radiator.
In any case, driving for an excessively long time might harm the radiator, leading to necessary extra repairs.
Ask a professional mechanic to do a pressure test on the radiator cap to find the diagnosis.
An Internal Leak
If there’s an internal leak, there won’t be a pool of coolant beneath the car; instead, you will have to regularly add additional water to the radiator system as it gradually deteriorates, which makes coolant draining fast and either create leakage or evaporation.
To investigate internal coolant issues, you should look at the head end (cylinder block); it is also conceivable that you have a leaking head gasket, allowing coolant to escape.
An External Leak
The simplest pointer of the car loosing coolant is an external leak.
Normally, if there is an exterior leak, the coolant in the automobile would quickly evaporate, causing the vehicle to overheat.
You should be able to see the leak by looking for a radiator hole or a broken tube.
Inspecting your hoses will help you pinpoint the issue. If the leakage is from the thermostat, it would be easy to replace the new one.
On the other hand, it may be more difficult if the trouble comes from the water pump.
To repair it, you or your technician may need to acquire water pump removal equipment from your manufacturer, depending on the kind of vehicle.
Blown Head Gasket
Suppose you can’t discover what causes a car to lose coolant; it’s most likely a burst head gasket. The head gasket seals together the cylinder head and car engine block.
If the part is compromised, it can result in major coolant leaks and overheating, as well as a little leak that is difficult to detect.
Worse, the coolant may attempt to combine with your motor oil. When this occurs, you will lose all compression and therefore be unable to operate your vehicle.
Symptoms Of Coolant Leaks
There are certain clear common signs you may look for to spot a coolant leak quickly and prevent car damage:
The Heater Is Not Functioning
The heater in your vehicle or truck is driven by coolant, which aids in the cooling of your engine. When the system stops working, your automobile is either out of coolant or clogged.
If you suspect your heater isn’t producing as much heat as it should, inspect your car’s cooling and heating systems.
High Or Low Temperature Gauge
When the temperature in your automobile increases or drops suddenly while driving, it might be a symptom of cooling system difficulties.
Problems might be as simple as an insufficient coolant level or as significant as a blocked radiator or a malfunctioning cooling fan.
It is critical to have this sort of problem looked up as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your car.
Engine components may quickly overheat, melt, shatter, jam, or fail, necessitating costly repairs.
The Coolant Light Turns On
Most current automobiles have a built-in coolant light. They frequently resemble a thermometer featuring wavy lines.
Its function alerts you that you should pull over and investigate why your motor is overheating when there is a sudden drop in coolant level.
A cracked or damaged duct might be causing a big volume of coolant to seep out.
Sweet Odors
Antifreeze has a sweet smell due to the Ethylene Glycol.
Whenever you smell something exceptionally sweet following an engine temperature alert or see steam rising from the hood, it might be your car losing antifreeze.
This is an excellent time to look for noticeable leaks beneath your vehicle. Avoid removing the radiator cap until your car has cooled, which can take approximately 45 minutes.
Diminished Fuel Economy
Motors are built to work under extremely precise circumstances. At certain temperatures, they get the optimum performance and fuel economy.
It will not use gasoline effectively and will not save gasoline as planned once it is in cold temperatures. Bring your vehicle for a checkup if you observe a decrease in fuel use.
Where To Look For Leaking Coolant?
To know why your car losing coolant, there are some places you should check:
- Radiator leak: Road debris can harm the radiator core fins.
In older vehicles, the end barrel can corrode; the common spot to search for leakage is the bottom of the radiator housing; you may occasionally observe dripping coolant or discover patches of dampness on the tank.
- Coolant bottles: Fissures on the underside of the bottles where the pipes attach are extremely prevalent.
Small fractures can be difficult to spot without removing the bottles, but the markings left by coolant drops make them very visible.
- Heating: The heating tube in the automobile extends from the motor compartment to the panel; if the heater matrix is broken, coolant will seep through it.
This can sometimes be discovered by white smoke billowing from the hood or behind the dash or liquid traces in the footwell.
- Water pump: With age, the pump frequently fails; the seal wears off, causing the pump to leak.
If the parts are causing the problems, you must never try to reattach the water pump; instead, replace it.
- Water hose: Most silicone-coated water pipes running around the engine bay transport coolant to and from the equipment. Over time, the hose may weaken or split.
Hose clamps also rust and break, indicating that you may have a spill and need to replace the clamp to tighten and seal the hose.
- Coolant cap: The coolant bottle’s cap is a compression cap; it can split or break, causing the coolant mixture’s water content to drain.
Although this is not a rapid process, it can be detected if the coolant level is monitored frequently.
How To Avoid Coolant Leak?
A regular preventative maintenance routine that includes replacing the coolant in the car’s radiator is one approach to avoid coolant leaks.
When the coolant turns sour, it becomes acidic and erodes the metal in your components.
Regular maintenance can also discover loose or damaged hoses and other issues that might contribute to radiator leaks.
If you suspect a coolant leak, take your car to a specialist who can diagnose and repair the problem. Also, keeping your automobile cool in summer is critical to keep engine overheating at bay.
FAQs
How Much Is Coolant Loss Normal?
If the car’s engine is in good working condition and there are no leaks or breakage, you can assume a coolant leak of 0.25% every four to six months. Losing approximately two to three ounces every year is typical.
How Much Does Coolant Leak Repair Cost?
The cost of correcting a coolant leak should be approximately $100. In certain circumstances, it will cost below $100 when the leak is minor and only has to be sealed.
You will be charged for labor in this situation because no new parts are required to repair the leak.
In Closing
Why is my car going through coolant so fast? These problems happen for some reasons we have listed above. Whenever you spot one (or more) of the signs, take it to a repair shop soon.
Hopefully, this post has served you with useful information. Thank you, and see you next time!