Tips to Maintain Your Mercedes’ Coolant System in Bellingham

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Carson Wileman

The Mercedes is famed for its top-notch engine that makes it one of the most powerful vehicles in the world today. The engines in these vehicle models have been fine-tuned to ensure that they deliver nothing short of smooth, excellent performance. The coolant system in the Mercedes’ engine is one of the components that make it possible for the engine to run efficiently, giving you the smooth, comfortable drive you expect.

What is the Coolant System?

The engine typically gets really hot as it runs, and if that heat is left unchecked it can cause unimaginable damage that can easily necessitate a complete overhaul of the engine. The cooling system, as the name suggests, is responsible for regulating the temperature in the engine as it runs. It is comprised of the water pump, coolant, radiator, and the pipes in which the coolant flows as the engine runs.

As the engine runs, it provides the energy to the water pump, which in turn enables the coolant fluid to flow from the radiator through the engine. In the engine, the coolant fluid absorbs a portion of the heat from the engine before the coolant is returned back to the radiator. There, it is cooled before the cycle begins again.

Unfortunately, like many other vehicle components, the cooling system is also prone to develop problems. These problems can be in any part of the system, but the most common causes of problems in the coolant system include:

Coolant leaks

The level of coolant in the radiator can drop to levels where it becomes impossible for the coolant to flow in and out of the engine at the required pressure. This can result from leaks within the system from deterioration of the other parts over time. The quality of coolant will also affect how well it performs.

Faulty thermostat

The thermostat that enables the coolant to be released from the radiator into the engine only works when a certain temperature is achieved. The thermostat detects this temperature and opens to allow the coolant to circulate. This thermostat can become stuck, effectively preventing coolant from getting into the engine.

Clogged cooling fan

The radiator has cooling fans that help cool off the super-heated coolant from the engine. These fans can have debris stuck in them that will prevent air from passing over the coolant to help cool it off.

Busted gasket seal and cap

This also happens as a result of regular wear that causes the head gasket and radiator cap to become unable to hold a seal. A busted head gasket will cause leakage of the coolant into different parts in the engine, while the busted cap will cause the coolant to lose the pressure that is necessary for it to flow in and out of the engine.

How to Maintain the Coolant System in Your Mercedes

The coolant system in your Mercedes will only be as good as the care that you give to it. Below, we cover a few tips that can help you to maintain this all-important system and in turn ensure the longevity of your engine. This will also help improve the quality of your driving experience, as you will not have to worry about your engine overheating.

The most common way in which you can ensure that your Mercedes has a perfectly working cooling system is by adhering to a strict servicing schedule. In the course of this schedule, always ensure that your mechanic checks on the level and quality of coolant and replaces it if it is too low. Changing the coolant at certain intervals even without leaks will ensure that it is in constant good working condition.

Cleaning out the fans to get rid of any debris that may be stuck in them and ensuring that all caps and gaskets are in great shape will also reduce chances of developing coolant-related problems. Getting a professional mechanic to conduct regular check-ups on your Mercedes will also go a long way in making sure that you keep your engine in good health.

Here at Keith Cox Autobahn, we are specialists in foreign brands such as the Mercedes. We have been in the business long enough to have built trust among our customers and are here to serve you. For Mercedes owners in and around Bellingham, WA, we are only a phone call away when you need a specialist to have a look at your coolant system.