Thermostat
Valve that lets coolant through once the engine is warm.
Signs it's worn: Heater blows cold, engine runs cold or overheats.
What's wrong with my car? · Cooling
Car running hot, or a sweet smell and a green or pink puddle?
Usually: Cooling system: thermostat, pump or a leak.
Running hot usually comes down to a stuck thermostat, a leaking hose or radiator, or a water pump on its way out. A sweet smell or a green or pink puddle means a coolant leak.
The parts that fix it
Radiator hoses
Rubber hoses between engine and radiator.
Signs it's worn: Soft, swollen or cracked hose, coolant puddle.
Water pump
Pushes coolant around the engine.
Signs it's worn: Coolant drip from the front of the engine, whining, overheating.
Radiator
Sheds the engine's heat into the air.
Signs it's worn: Temperature gauge climbing, coolant leak at the front, sweet smell.
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