The 5 Steps to Fill Water in Car Radiator

In the past, drivers and manufacturers were not well-aware of the damage from the heat in cars. However, due to many problems caused by overheating and freezing, manufacturers have added cooling systems on cars. The systems mainly use a mixture of water and antifreeze, or merely water to keep the engines cool. However, the water in the car radiator evaporates during the time use, so you need to pay attention to the water level. To fill water in the car radiator is an easy task, but you need to follow some safety guidelines stated in the steps “how to fill water in car radiator” below.

Step 1: Pay attention while opening the radiator cap

When opening the radiator cap, you must do it slowly because the water may still be hot at the time being and the steam may go out rapidly. Therefore, if you sense steams coming out while slowly turning the cap, retighten it and let the water cool down. On the other hand, if nothing happens, you can safely remove the cap.

Don't fill water when the water inside the radiator is still hot.

Step 2: Check the water level before filling

Don’t rush to fill the water, but check its level first. It is a bit tricky to see the water level in the radiator. However, you can roughly estimate by observing whether it covers the visible radiator tubes, or it reaches several inches below the cap.

Check the water level before adding more into the car radiator.

Step 3: Turn on your car engine

Before filling the water in the car radiator, make sure that you have turned on the car engine. The running engine will help you mix the filling water with the available water in the car. As the filling water joins in the circulation of the hot water in your car, the next time you crank the vehicle, the temperature is the same across each part.

Remember to turn on your car engine before filling water in the radiator.

Step 4: Mix water with antifreeze, if necessary

If you live in areas where water can freeze, obviously, water only cannot help the car radiator function properly. Instead of using mere water, mix equal portions of water and antifreeze (you can mix different portions based on your needs). This will save the water from freezing, and, in a good aspect, this also increases the boiling point of the mixture, which improves the cooling ability of the car radiator.

*You can skip the first step if you live in hotter areas.

Ask car dealers for the best coolants for your car before buying one.

Step 5: Fill water in the car radiator and tighten the cap

After you fill enough water in the radiator, tighten the cap. Note that if your car uses a safety pressure cap, make sure you have pushed the level down.

Filling water in the car radiator is easy.

As you can see, filling water in the car radiator isn’t a difficult task. However, you need to follow some principles such as waiting for the water to cool down, checking the water level, letting the car engine run, and mixing water with coolants (if necessary). By having sufficient water in the radiator, your car will be less likely to face problems related to overheating, and, indeed, performs better.

All in all, we hope the 5 simple steps to fill water in the car radiator helps your car maintenance routine. For more similar tips and guides, visit our website.