Columbia, Tennessee does not ease into summer. By late May, temperatures are regularly pushing 85 degrees. By July, we’re deep into the kind of heat that reveals every weakness in your vehicle’s cooling system. And spring — right now — is the best possible time to check it before the heat becomes relentless.

Your cooling system’s job is simple: keep your engine from destroying itself. It circulates coolant to absorb engine heat and releases that heat through the radiator. When the system is healthy, you never notice it. When it’s not, you’re watching your temperature gauge climb on Highway 31 with nowhere good to pull over.

Here’s what a spring cooling system check should cover:

Coolant condition and level. Coolant degrades over time and loses its heat-transfer and corrosion-inhibiting properties. Old coolant can start to corrode the very components it’s supposed to protect. If it looks brown or murky, it’s past time for a flush. If it’s low, there may be a slow leak worth finding.

Hoses and clamps. Radiator and heater hoses should be firm, with no soft spots, cracking, or swelling. Hose clamps should be tight. A burst hose in summer traffic is a guaranteed bad day.

Radiator. Road debris, bugs, and corrosion can reduce the radiator’s efficiency. A visual inspection catches obvious blockages and damage.

Thermostat. A thermostat stuck in the closed position will cause overheating quickly. Stuck open means your engine runs too cool and loses efficiency. Both are inexpensive to fix when caught early.

Bring your vehicle by Exhaust Plus Auto Center in Columbia this spring. We’ll check your cooling system and make sure you’re ready before summer arrives.