Mercedes-Benz are luxury cars with a history of epic races, glitz and glamour, and pioneering innovations. This history, combined with the latest and most advanced technology tailor-made for an incredible driving experience is what makes Mercedes-Benz such a fan favorite with drivers.
Reliable, luxurious, and incredibly smooth to drive, there truly is a lot to love about Mercedes. However, without the correct care and maintenance, even the best vehicle will let you down eventually. With this in mind, all drivers should be aware of some of the basic signs, symptoms, and causes of key part failure, so in this article we’ll be exploring the reasons behind coolant system failure in your Mercedes-Benz.
The Coolant System
It is important to remember that the sole purpose of your coolant system is to keep engine temperatures down, as well as secondary systems, which can also achieve high temperatures. The engine is essential a metal system, encased in more metal, that is constantly running and combusting to achieve motion. This causes a lot of heat, and while some airflow is able to reach the engine, it is simply not enough to keep temperatures at a safe level. Therefore, water and coolant is circulated through the coolant system to help keep temperatures down.
Failed Water Pump
As previously mentioned, your Mercedes uses water to help keep your engine cool. The water flows around the engine through a series of hoses, and is propelled around this system using a pump. The water pump is powered by your Mercedes-Benz’s serpentine belt, and if either part fails, water will not be able to circulate the engine. This can directly result in an increase in overheating issues, which can lead to severe part wear and even the failure of the engine.
Damaged or Leaking Radiator Hoses
The water pump is connected to a series of hoses which circulate the cool water around the engine. This part can also fail for 2 reasons: leakages or damage. These are often caused by blockages.
Leaks are the most common cause, and any leak, no matter how small, will have an impact on the water pressure of the system, meaning that the water doesn’t have the correct force to properly circulate your engine system. This can lead to complete drainage of the water system or the failure of the water pump, as it will become worn out from having to work overtime while making up for that lost pressure.
Radiator Leaks
The radiator is the hub of your Mercedes coolant system, and is responsible for cooling down the water/coolant once it has circulated the engine, preparing it to make another cycle of the engine. Should the radiator become ineffective or start to leak, it will not be able to perform this vital role correctly, and may also contribute to the draining of the water system, via a leak.
Thermostat Valve Failure
The thermostat, also known as the ‘thermostatic valve’ is responsible for regulating the temperature of your engine. As it is a valve, it works on an open and closed system, closing when temperatures drop too low, and opening when temperatures become too high. When it is closed, water/coolant is unable to circulate the engine, and when it is open, water is able to flow and cool the engine down.
If this valve becomes stuck in one of the two positions your engine can struggle, either overheating, if the valve is left closed, or running cold if the valve is left open. Either way, this will be sure to ruin your vehicle’s overall performance, and can accelerate part wear or failure.
Professional Automotive
Servicing the Marlborough area as well as the Hudson, Northborough, Southborough, Sudbury, Westborough, Stow, Bolton, Berlin, and Framingham areas of MA since 1994, the team at Professional Automotive knows exactly what it takes to have your Mercedes-Benz operating at peak performance.
With pages and pages of 5-star reviews and a loyal customer base, it is clear our dedicated team of experts and professional automotive technicians know how to keep customers happy, and with a variety of smart sales and offers, 2-year/24,000 mile warranty on all repairs, and OEM parts and premium aftermarket parts used as standard, it’s really not hard to see why!