Radiator hoses often last for many years, but that doesn’t mean their maintenance can be ignored. Let’s go over what radiator hoses do, how to tell if they need to be replaced, how to replace them, and how much you can expect to spend on new hoses.
How a Radiator Hose Works
The upper radiator hose typically attaches to the radiator with a simple hose clamp.
Radiator hoses are pieces of rubber tubing with a few simple but critical jobs. They carry the car’s coolant from the radiator to the engine and back, and they help keep the cooling system sealed.
In the simplest systems, there are two radiator hoses:
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The upper radiator hose moves hot coolant from the engine into the radiator.
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The lower radiator hose circulates cool fluid to the water pump and back into the engine.
Some vehicles have more hoses in the cooling system. For simplicity’s sake, let’s focus on the upper and lower radiator hoses.
Ideally, you don’t notice radiator hoses doing their job. You start your car, it warms up to its operating temperature, and it stays there. The hoses carry coolant, the radiator cools it, and the water pump moves it through the engine. All's right with the world.
How Long Radiator Hoses Last
Preventive maintenance on older vehicles should include radiator hose replacement.
You should start keeping an eye on your radiator hoses if your vehicle is at least five years old. But age alone won’t tell you if your radiator hoses are bad. There are plenty of 10- and 15-year-old cars on the road still using their original radiator hoses without a worry. You should inspect your hoses to determine if they are still safe.
Keeping fresh coolant in the engine is the best way to make sure your radiator hoses—and the rest of your cooling system—last a long time. Old coolant tends to get more acidic as it ages, which will break down rubber hoses. A good rule of thumb: Change your coolant every few years or 30,000 miles.
Replacing old coolant keeps the fluid clean and helps remove rust and scale that can build up in the cooling system.
How to Tell If a Radiator Hose Is Bad
When you see a colorful puddle, whether yellow, orange, blue, or green, underneath the front of your vehicle, it’s most likely to be engine coolant.
Radiator hose problems come in a bunch of flavors, but they’re all pretty easy to spot. The most obvious sign is a coolant leak or multiple leaks. If you see coolant pooling under your car or dripping when the car is running, check your hoses.
You can often spot bad hoses before they cause a problem. The hose is bad if:
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It is cracked or swollen
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There is dried coolant around the hose clamps
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It is collapsed
Sometimes, you’ll see multiple signs at once. Occasionally, a minor leak can be left alone long enough to get home or to a shop, but you should never totally ignore it. A leaking hose is a bad hose and must be replaced.
You can also feel bad radiator hoses. Bulging radiator hoses feel soft and squishy and won’t hold their shape. Dry, cracked hoses often feel crunchy and won’t return to their original shape. Both need to be replaced.
What happens if your radiator hose fails?
The worst symptom of a failed radiator hose is overheating, but there are other less damaging signs.
Often, a failed radiator hose will show itself by leaking. If you can’t see a coolant leak, however, or a radiator hose has collapsed, there is another sign you have a bad hose. You’ll start to see the temperature gauge creeping up. If the hose fails slowly, it can manifest as the car running slightly hotter than usual. You might also notice lower-than-normal coolant levels. If this is the case, check your hoses.
The worst-case scenario of a bad radiator hose is the engine overheating. If that happens, pull over in a safe spot and turn the car off. After that, call a tow truck and get your car back home or to a shop. Don’t drive your car if it is overheating. You could do expensive damage to your engine.
Replacing Your Radiator Hose Is Quick and Easy
Radiator hose replacement is an easy task, requiring only simple handle tools.
If you can follow a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, you can replace a radiator hose. All you need are the right instructions and a simple tool kit. For your convenience, eBay has a
detailed tutorial on replacing radiator hoses
- opens in new window or tab.
. You’ll need a few specific tools and a drain pan, but a novice should be able to do the job.
Should you change both radiator hoses at the same time?
The short answer is yes. If one radiator hose is bad, chances are that the other hose is bad or is about to go. Replacing both hoses at once means you know exactly how old they are, how many miles they have on them, and the kind of use they have seen.
It’s also more efficient to replace both hoses at once. Doing both hoses and a coolant flush in one go might take more time, but then the job is done, and the repair should last for a long time.
Radiator Hose Replacement Cost
A socket wrench, nut driver or screwdriver is used to tighten the hose clamps.
Radiator hoses and new hose clamps are generally affordable. Even name-brand or original equipment hoses aren’t usually too expensive. There are exceptions to every rule, but for most common vehicles, the parts can be had without breaking the bank.
If you plan to do the work yourself, budgeting $200 for new hoses, hardware, coolant, and cleanup is a safe bet. It could run much less than that, but that’s a good place to start. If you decide to have a shop do the job, the costs will increase sharply.
Depending on where you live, shops can charge well over $100 an hour for labor, will charge a markup on parts they purchase, and may add surcharges for cleanup and disposal of your old coolant. Depending on the vehicle and the shop’s labor rate, the cost could be $500 or more.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.
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