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Can a radiator explode, or is that impossible?
My engine had an overheating issue a few days ago. My partner said he could just add some water to the coolant and we’d be fine. But today it overheated again, and now my mom is warning me “the radiator might explode” (her words) if I don’t take the car in for service. Is that true? Can a radiator explode, really?
Matt Terzi · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Engine overheating issues are scary, but your mom offered some great advice there. Believe it or not, she’s right: a car’s radiator really can explode, bursting open and grinding your car to a steamy stop.
While we definitely think you should visit a mechanic as soon as humanly possible and avoid driving the car until you do, we haven’t heard much to indicate there’s an impending explosion worth losing sleep over. It’s possible, but also quite rare, especially for a car that only just started having overheating issues.
Any number of issues can lead an engine to overheat. Here are a few examples:
- Little or no coolant, or needing a coolant flush and replace
- Low or dirty engine oil
- Leaky cooling lines
- Bad radiator fan
- Loose or skipping serpentine belt
- Bad water pump
- Clogged heater exchange
- Bad engine thermostat
- Blown head gasket
Again, we strongly suggest you take your car to a mechanic. You’ll want a professional to diagnose the issue and make sure your car is safe to drive.
Unfortunately, the
Jerry
app can’t diagnose your engine’s overheating issue. But it can definitely diagnose your car insurance
, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars per year in as little as 45 seconds.Jerry is a
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