Why is my radiator smoking

Within moments of turning on your vehicle's engine it begins to operate at extremely hot temperatures. If these temps were left unregulated the engine would quickly have a melt down, quite literally. When you're out and about behind the wheel keep your senses open for these serious signs of cooling system and radiator trouble to ensure you don't end up overheating on the side of the road with a heavy repair bill coming your way.

White Smoke

Perhaps one of the first things you will notice if you are having cooling system issues is white smoke coming from your vehicle. However, it may come from under the hood or in large puffy quantities from the tailpipe. If there is smoke coming out from under the hood be sure to pull over immediately and shut off your vehicle, as this is a positive sign your car is currently overheating. White smoke coming from the tailpipe can indicate an internal coolant leak that is allowing coolant to be burnt up in the engine and dismissed through the exhaust system. This will certainly lead to overheating, as your vehicle will no longer have the correct amount of radiator fluid to keep the car cool.

Rising Temperature Gauge

One of the most obvious signs of trouble is likely right in front of you when you're driving your car. The temperature gauge on the dash will rise to the red zone if the cooling system is unable to keep the engine temperature regulated.

Discoloration Under the Hood

A more subtle sign of trouble will come in the form of rust, or at least missing paint. If the radiator or a cooling system hose springs an external leak coolant will likely be sprayed on to the hot engine parts. The coolant will quickly boil off, taking any paint with it, allowing the spots to rust.

Low Coolant Levels

Every so often you should be conducting regular maintenance on your vehicle in your driveway to ensure everything is in good working order, this includes checking your coolant level. If you notice the coolant level is low it may be caused by a leak inside the engine, allowing for it to be burnt up and expelled, putting your car at risk of overheating. Be sure to perform this check when the car's engine is cold!

Visible Coolant Leak

If you spot a bright green, sweet smelling fluid collecting in your driveway or see it leaking from your vehicle then you definitely have a coolant leak. You'll want to head to the auto repair shop right away in order to prevent any further damage.

By paying attention to the signs of trouble you can prevent overheating, saving yourself from possibly having to conduct major engine repair. If you suspect you need cooling system or radiator repair in Vista head to Autotyme Automotive. For more than two decades we have been providing full service auto maintenance, specializing in Toyota, Scion and Lexus. However, we happily work on all makes and models! Give Autotyme a call at (760) 298-5999 to request an appointment for quality auto repair in Vista anytime your car or truck is giving you trouble.

Bluey/dark grey smoke is a clear sign that your engine is burning oil. The liquid can leak into the combustion chamber where it is burned along with fuel.

You’ll probably notice your car misfiring when you turn the keys in your ignition, or find your vehicle shakes more than usual when idle.

Since blue and grey smoke coming from your exhaust can point to the same faults, there is naturally a bit of overlap with the above section. These leaks are caused by:

1. Worn pistons and piston rings

Pistons use rings to keep an air tight seal in the cylinders of a combustion engine. After some wear and tear, the rings can leak oil into fuel which eventually burns as blue smoke. Although this usually escapes from the exhaust it can appear from the bonnet too.

Damage to the pistons and piston rings is extremely complicated to fix and we recommend taking your car to an RAC approved garage to make sure repairs are done properly.

2. Damaged valve stem seals

Valves regulate the amount of fuel and air mixture allowed into cylinders for combustion. Although their seals are usually made from high-strength rubber, they can become cracked and worn by extreme temperatures or wear and tear.

Mechanics will often use special tools to compress the valve spring before replacing a valve seal. 

3. Malfunctioning PCV valve

A PCV valve or Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve releases exhaust gas and unburned fuel from the engine block.

If the PCV valve gets stuck, it will mix oil, air and other gases inside the engine. The combustion of this mixture will cause blue smoke.

Fixing a PCV valve shouldn’t be too costly and usually involves a replacement rather than a repair job. 

4. Worn engine oil seals

As oil travels from the tank around the engine it relies on a number of seals to prevent it from leaking to other areas of the car. These seals can suffer from wear and tear, leading to leaks and oil burning off as blue smoke.

If you notice any blue smoke or oil spillages, visit a trusted garage as soon as possible.

• Video: how to check your car's engine oil

Radiator is steaming. Is it safe to drive

My car has 120000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Jeff Engstrom

It sounds like your vehicle is overheating. It is typically not safe to drive the vehicle when it is overheating as this may risk additional engine damage. Overheating can be caused by a number of things such as low coolant levels, a faulty thermostat, a clogged radiator or a failing coolant fan switch. As you may know the coolant fan switch helps to maintain the proper coolant temperature by turning on and off at specific temperature thresholds. When this switch is not working properly, this can cause the fans to come on intermittently, all the time or sometimes not at all. When this happens you will notice a temperature spike and drop occasionally as the fan comes on and off. When your thermostat is not working properly or is stuck closed, this will not allow the coolant to properly circulate through the engine, which may cause the engine temperature to fluctuate erratically or in some cases just remain hot. You may also have a water pump that is beginning to fail. Water pumps often times will begin to produce a bit of a whining sound when they are starting to fail. A common problem also associated with this is the water pump may begin to leak around the water pump shaft due to the seal being damaged. In addition to leaking around the pump, you may have a leak elsewhere in the cooling system coming from one of the hoses going to or from the radiator. Lastly, you may have a failing cylinder head gasket allowing coolant to leak from the water passages into the cylinders resulting in the coolant being burnt in the combustion chamber with the fuel. If this is the case, you may also notice a bit of white smoke coming from your exhaust which is a product of the coolant being turned into a steam like vapor. I would suggest having an expert from Your Mechanic come to your home to diagnose your cooling system as there are a variety of tests to perform to arrive at the correct diagnosis.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details