Ok this am I took my car to sears there is approx 5 in crack on the radiator, when the guy squeezed the hose you can see the coolant coming out. What is your take on repairs, should I get a used radiator, buy the temp seal, or replace with a brand new one. MORE IMPORTANTLY could this have cracked when they did the coolant exchange and secondly if it was a preexisting crack, would they have seen some leakage at the time of doing the exchange...Thats what I really want to know...
Here is the hx from my first post
have a 95 Toyota Camry V4. The other day my car overheated. There was smoke coming from below the hood and the temp gage was at the H level. When I looked at the coolant tank it was empty. So I filled water and coolant in the radiator. About 6 days later I checked the tank again it was empty. So I filled the tank part with coolant about 3 hours later and a 15 min drive later (to some stores) I looked at the tank and it was halfway gone (i filled it to the line). I find it strange that it took 6 days to empty completely but not even 2-3 hours for it to go half way full. So I am wondering if the car is getting worse. I havent had another overheating and the temp gage has been at the middle level. I am wondering what the problem is and what you think the repairs might cost. I am a woman and I have always had a hard time with auto shops because they always seem to take advantage, and tell me that there is so many things wrong with the car. I just want to go in prepared. Thanks
Additional Details
18 hours ago
BTW how safe is it to drive like this? I mean as long as I check the coolant tank. I cant afford repairs this minute. And should I fill that tank with coolant or water. Thanks
17 hours ago
Oh yeah on July 10th I went to sears and purchased a package deal that inlcuded a coolant exhange, fuel system cleaning and oil change. If there was a crack, leak etc... would they have seen/determined this when they did the coolant exchange??? On my invoice it is says belts, leakage, pressure cap, hoses other all are check off and no recommedation are suggested, and that was done on July 10th is it possible for whatever to go wrong so soon after that. Again I never had a problem with overheating beforeWell well it was the Radiator after all!!?If you keep the coolant level full enough to not overheat, it wouldn't harm your engine. But with a 5%26quot; crack in your radiator it is not going to stay full even without driving your car and building heat and pressure in the cooling system. You need to replace the radiator then add coolant but until you fix the leak use only water to refill it. I run a repair shop and when I tell someone that there is something wrong with their car it is because there is something wrong with it, if your shop needs to drum up business by lying to their customers then find another one. There is more than enough repair business out there without ripping someone off.Well well it was the Radiator after all!!?If it were me I'd be talking to the manager at Sears about what they are going to cover on this repair. If they did a coolant exchange and reported no problem, it's not likely a 5 inch crack would suddenly and mysteriously appear shortly afterward.
I would expect them to repair what they caused by replacing the radiator.
Don't get mad or mean about it, but do tell them what you expect from them.
