My Car Coolant Overflow Tank Cap Pops Off
Reader Question
We recently took our 2005 Kia Sorento into have the oil changed and all fluids checked and topped off. Yesterday while in idle waiting for a light my coolant reservoir popped! I thought it had blown a hose because the coolant was leaking every where with little smoke and the cap was still on. But after removing the tank we found a giant crack along the bottom of the tank and the plastic was warped.
The local dealers service was able to install a new reservoir and refill the coolant and assured me the coolant cap must have been to blame for causing too much pressure in the tank, we got the OK so we left. After about 20 min of driving the yellow check engine
light is on and remains on after several starts of the engine and there is a faint fast paced clicking.
The service provider was full and recommended we run the engine thru a cleaning at a local car wash and then see if the light persists while waiting for our appointment tomorrow morning. Stating that
the leakage may have caused deposits of fluid on the belts or sensors.
Do you have any suggestions as to what may be causing the engine light, and clicking. And can you shed any wisdom as to what would cause the reservoir to pop? I am only slightly mechanically inclined and do not want to miss something that can potentially lead to serious problems.
Hi there,
Hummm, interesting problem which I have not seen yet.
I would first rule out the possibility of a faulty radiator cap that is not allowing the cooling system to vent, thus building up pressure and causing the coolant overflow tank cap to blow off. Usually the upper radiator hose will also swell very large when the coolant system is not venting properly.
So get the engine to normal operating temp and see if the upper radiator hose swells in size from its cold state. I would bet they removed the cap, so make sure the radiator cap is in good shape and is installed correctly.
A stuck thermostat could also cause this issue and not allow coolant to flow properly in the system, thus build up too much pressure and blow off the over flow cap.
Another thing that comes to mind here is a faulty electric cooling fan motor up near the radiator. The fan should come on and off at slow speeds and at idle to cool down the engine. The fans should be ON when the A/C is on, but it should cycle on and off as the engine temp rises. If the fan is not coming on it will cause the engine to overheat and the coolant will boil over into the overflow tank.
You did not mention overheating, but make sure to watch the temp gauge on the dash as you let the engine sit at idle with the hood up so you can see what is happening. If the temp is rising past normal, check the radiator fan to see if its running. You might have 2 electric fans, one for the engine coolant and one just for the A/C system, so check them both if you have 2.
The engine light could be coming on due to overheating or the electric fan not operating properly. I would not drive this vehicle in this condition, overheating the engine could be very costly.
Start ruling things out yourself if you can. Make sure you do not see any loose connections or wires that might have been accidentally pulled off during the oil change and inspection.
Blessings,
Austin Davis
What Is An Auto Insurance Betterment?
Reader Question
Hi Austin, how are you today? I am a newsletter reader of yours and your last email about being prepared for an auto accident could not have come at a better time. My 2009 Kia mini van was involved in a pretty nasty accident recently and I have been getting the go around with the body shop lately.
Your email was spot on and I encourage your readers to take the time now to try to prepare themselves for hassle of dealing with an auto accident later.
My question to you now is about an insurance betterment? I am being charged $29 for my battery and another $41 for a new tire. I have argued with the body shop about these charges but they insist it is my insurance company who is charging me and not the shop. Why would I have to pay more than my deductible amount?
Thanks
Ann
Hi there Ann
Sorry to hear about your recent accident and the fun and excitement you are having now with the repair shop. I am also glad you took the time to read my email about accident preparedness, although it might have come a little too late?
Good question you raise about what an insurance betterment really is. The “betterment” you are being charged is basically depreciation on auto parts that either have normal wear or a limited lifespan.
For instance, a battery should have a normal life span of about 4 years (the estimated life span is usually stamped on the battery case) so in your case I would assume your battery to be about 3 years old. The depreciation value, or betterment that is being assessed on you is the used portion of the battery life span.
So the insurance company paid for a new battery but they assume you did use the battery for the first 3 years of its normal life and the battery was due for replacement soon and they expect you to pay for the normal usage that has occurred. Consider the betterment as a pro-rated warranty.
The tire is also a wearable and replaceable item and they have concluded that you have used a majority of it’s useful life and should pay for the time you used it. They are paying the difference between what you used (which you pay) and the remaining life of the part.
A betterment would not be placed on a hood for instance, because the hood should last the lifespan of the vehicle, so the insurance company will pay the full replacement cost.
There is nothing illegal in charging you this betterment, and the shop is correct in saying the charge is being assessed by the insurance company not the shop. The shop just collects the betterment and usually the deductible from you the customer.
Now that being said. I recommend to my customers a simple little trick that usually works every time. Get a copy of the insurance estimate and go over it carefully. Look for any items that are on the estimate that might not actually need to be replaced or repaired. If the job is completed, make sure the shop replaced or repaired everything they were supposed to!
Second, look at those betterment items, the battery and the tire. IF the shop has not replaced them yet, offer to either supply the parts to the shop yourself if you think you can buy it cheaper elsewhere and ask the shop to not collect the betterment from you. Or find a cheaper replacement part for the item that is less than what the original estimate called for.
Example. Say the estimate is paying $120 for a replacement battery, but you can buy one at Walmart for $70 and supply it to the shop for replacement. The shop will still be paid the labor fee to replace the battery and they are not responsible for the warranty (Walmart will be). The shop should then not collect the betterment from you, and either subtract the difference from your deductible amount or give you cash back.
If the shop is not willing to let you supply the parts, try this.
Contact your insurance company (or the one paying the repairs) and give them an option of the part replacement. Tell them you can buy a battery that you will be happy with for $70 not the $120 the estimated and you would like to have them apply the difference to your betterment but still allow the repair shop to provide their battery.
In 99% of the cases where I had the customer contact the insurance company and apply a small amount of pressure on the adjuster to remove the betterment they did so. Most adjusters are not going to take the time to re-write the estimate and send it to the repair shop for $50-$100, they will just call the shop and tell them not to charge you and will make it up to the shop some how or they will issue you a check for the betterment later on.
If the shop has not started on the repairs I would tell them you are NOT going to pay the betterment and they need to find a way to help you cover those costs if you are going to leave the vehicle there for repairs. If you told me that and I was going to loose a $5,000 repair I would find anyway possible to absorb the betterment myself to keep the job.
In all honesty you DID get the use of the parts in question and should pay the betterment, BUT the squeaky wheel gets the grease. 
Hope this finds you well,
Blessings
Austin Davis
P.S. take just a minute and compare your auto insurance rates using the form on this page. Just enter your zip code to see rates in your area. It’s free and there are no obligations to buy anything. Many readers tell me State Farm and Liberty Mutual gave them great rates.
Hail Dent Remover – How to Remove Hail Dent From Car
Reader Question
Hey there Austin. What is a good repair kit for hail dents?
Don
Hey there Don
We don’t get much hail here in Houston so I can’t honestly give you a recommendation. We have tried using dry ice on top of the dent (old school method) and it actually did help some, but I have not tried anything else personally.
The theory is that if you place dry ice on top of the dent, then allow the heat from the sun to warm up the metal it will “pop” back into place. We tried this years ago on some very small hail dents and it did seem to help some, enough that the customer was happy anyway.
There are “paint less dent removal” companies that do good work on door dings etc, they might be worth a shot. Look in your phone book or ask a local body shop for a recommendation.
I have seen some pretty large door ding type of dents get pushed back into place and it looks pretty darn good…and MUCH cheaper than repairing and repainting.
The problem with hail dents is there is usually alot of them, so it might not be cost effective to have each one worked on. Replacing the hood for example might actually be cheaper than paying to have each little dent pushed back into place…if that is even possible in your situation.
Sorry cant help more than that
Blessings
Austin Davis
Jeep Cherokee Will Not Start – No Click – Nothing
Reader Question
Mr Davis , I have a Jeep Cherokee I had for about 6 yrs. I’ve had everything fixed on it as it needed it ..I just paid over 800.00 to have a starter and alternator put in and now 3 months later I drove around this morning, stopped, parked an then got in an came home a half hour later its dead no noise at all no lights no key alarm nothing.
I’m a single woman an I don’t have money or know anyone to help me ..what do I check to see if its a battery or what please help ..
thanks Mary
Hi Mary,
It does sound like you have a dead battery from what you told me. I would first open the hood and make sure the battery cables are tight and clean of corrosion. If the cables are tight and the battery is more than 3 years old, I personally would replace the battery.
There could be a problem with the alternator not recharging the battery so you might want to have that checked if you replace the battery and in a few days have a dead battery problem again. The average life of a battery is about 3 years though and a weak battery causes the alternator to work harder which in turn can cause premature alternator failure.
More cars that come to our shop on a tow truck have loose or dirty battery cables than anything else, so rule that out first.
Blessings
Austin Davis
Reader Follow Up
Mr. Davis, thanks for your speedy reply. Can I try to charge the battery overnight fist and see if that solves the problem. I really can not afford to buy a new battery right now.
Hi Mary,
Sure you can try to charge your existing battery for 12 hours and see what happens. Although, if the battery is “bad” it will not hold a charge for very long so you might be stranded again real soon. Make sure to carry some jumper cables with you. I would still double check the battery cables and the connections to the battery first to rule that out.
Blessings,
Austin Davis
Reader Follow Up
Mr. Davis….me again. Just wanted you to know that the battery cables were in deed loose and was causing the problem. I am so happy I did not have to buy a new battery. Thank you so much!
Mary
Why Is There Motor Oil In My Car’s Coolant?
Reader Question
Hi Austin
I have a Buick Century, 1998. I have noticed motor oil in the coolant. I had it flushed a year ago but after a while the oil was back in the coolant.
Someone told me to have the coolant flushed again and add Blue Devil Head Gasket Sealant to the radiator, and it would solve all my problems. Do you think that will fix the problem or is there something else you would recommend.
Regards
Chris
Hi Chris
Wellllllll, not real sure you have a “problem” not to uncommon to see a little oil residue in the coolant from time to time. I would first HIGHLY recommend you get a cooling system pressure test, which will tell you if there is an internal coolant leak inside the engine.
This is a quick and cheap test any mechanic can do for you. If you still suspect there is an internal issue then sure, it won’t hurt to try a “head gasket” type of coolant sealer.
I have never used or heard of the sealer you mentioned, but have had GREAT success with K&W Engine Block Sealer, which is available at any auto parts store.
That sealer really works well if you follow my instruction not that on the can.
Here is the link to MY instruction on how I use K&W Engine Block Sealer to repair blown headgasket issues and internal coolant leaks.
Click To – How To Use K&W Engine Block Sealer
Blessings
Austin Davis
