Regular maintenance and repairing of each and every auto part is necessary, if you expect it to perform properly and do not pose you into any trouble while driving! Well, radiator is one such part, which requires timely cleaning, maintenance and repairing if necessary. What is a radiator? Radiator in the automobile is a heat exchanging device, that keeps your vehicle cool and prevents it from getting overheated.
Radiator’s importance is best known to people, who have suffered from a vehicle breakdown due to overheating of the vehicle, on a hot afternoon, amidst a remote highway! Radiators, after a certain period of time tend to get corroded, develop leaks and get clogged. When this happens, your vehicle radiator certainly needs a repair! But, what exactly does an auto radiator repair cost? This is the question many first timers are confronted with. So here’s a response.
Factors Associated with Car Radiator Repair
Radiator is amongst the most important systems of your vehicle’s engine and it is made up of many components. As said earlier, radiator tends to get damaged over a period of time and this damage can occur in any of the following parts. Damage to any of the mentioned below parts, strongly influences your automotive radiator repair cost. Hence, before moving on directly to the cost aspect, know about the factors that would add up to its cost.
- The most important function of the radiator is to maintain correct pressure levels in the vehicle. If it fails to do so, then certainly the radiator pressure cap is at fault.
- Radiator tends to leak, if it works constantly, without any repair or maintenance. Therefore, your car mechanic would also perform an internal leak test and check whether any combustible gas is leaking into the cooling system of the radiator. Repairing damage if any, would contribute to the overall cost.
- Sometimes internal belts and hoses related to the cooling system can get damaged. Replacing them with new ones, in turn increases the repair cost.
- Besides these major checks, repairing engine fans, power flushing the entire part and refilling the coolant to the correct level, labor costs, standard charges, purchase cost of new parts and repair tools are included in the repair cost.
What is the Cost of Radiator Repair?
The repair cost mostly depend upon the number of parts that have been damaged and also the severity of the damage. In most cases, the cost is approximately around USD 90 – USD 100, which includes, radiator straightening cost, which is around USD 35 – USD 40, welding the leakages that cost about USD 15 – USD 20 for the initial weld and then USD 5 – USD 6 for every additional weld. However, this repair cost has some exceptions. Repairing the damage made by some other mechanic costs around USD 5- USD 20, which again depends on the severity of the damage. In a few cases, if radiator parts, such as the filler neck suffers from an irreparable damage, then you are left with no other option, other than replacing it. Replacing any such irreparable part, contributes highly to the repair cost! Another exception is the car type. In some automobile models, repair is not possible. You need to straight away replace the part. Therefore in these cases, the repair (rather replacement!) cost can be too high!
You can actually save on the cost of radiator repair if you know how to repair it at home. However, this needs an in depth knowledge of the entire device and proper repairing tools to do it. Nonetheless, for situations, where replacement is the only alternative, it is better you get it done promptly from a professional mechanic.