As a Bakersfield resident, you know just how intense our summers are. The chances you have experienced your car or truck overheating, and you know that the chances of being left stranded on the side of the road are pretty high. No one likes standing in the sun while waiting for a tow truck – all because they neglected to have their cooling system serviced!

The radiator, coolant, water pump, thermostat and fans are all incredibly important parts that keep your vehicle cool and prevent overheating. The engine generates a large amount of heat, and liquid coolant is responsible for flowing through the engine to collect the heat and move it to the radiator where the fans provide the airflow that cools the fluid. The coolant is usually a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. The antifreeze is important to keep the fluid from freezing in cold temperatures, and it has properties that fight corrosion in the cooling system.

When the coolant fluid is old it is no longer able to fight corrosion and this results in rust and sludge building up inside the cooling system. This corrosion damages the water pump and thermostat, and it restricts flow to the radiator which in turn reduces its ability to remove heat from the coolant.

When the cooling system isn’t serviced the damage builds up over time and causes your car or truck to overheat and possibly cause damage to the engine. Repairing a radiator and other cooling parts can be costly and time consuming. Replacing the coolant according to the manufacturers required maintenance schedule is inexpensive and a great way to avoid being stranded in the summer heat.