Running hot or losing coolant?
Identify the cause before further damage.
Cooling & radiators from $350 Offer terms ↗ Know what's included.
An overheating engine is the one fault where the next ten minutes of driving decide what the repair costs. Stop, let it cool, and ring us.
Water pump from $449. Starting prices for a common car; the figure is confirmed for your car before work starts.
Overheating & cooling, explained clearly.
Coolant does two jobs. It carries heat out of the engine, and it stops the block boiling or freezing. When the level drops or the flow stops, aluminium heads warp and gaskets let go. Those repairs cost many times what a hose costs.
So the advice is the same every time. If the gauge climbs into the red, pull over, switch the engine off and let it cool. Do not open the cap on a hot engine. A tow is cheaper than a head.
We pressure-test the system to find where it is going, and check the thermostat, the fan and the pump. Colour is not a diagnosis. Toyota's factory coolant is pink, so pink under the car is not automatically transmission fluid.
- Pressure-tested cold to find the leak
- Coolant tested for combustion gases
- Leak repaired
- Refilled with the right coolant for your engine
- Bled so no air pocket is left behind
What to know before booking
Water pump from $449. Starting prices for a common car; the figure is confirmed for your car before work starts.
From $350, GST included. Your final price depends on your vehicle's oil quantity, required oil specification, filter and scheduled work. We confirm the total before you commit.
Ask about my car ↗Prices include GST · Price terms
What it costs
Cooling system / radiator
Pressure test, leak found, repaired and refilled.
Book this ↗ REPAIRSWater pump
Pump replaced, coolant refilled, system bled.
Book this ↗ REPAIRSDiagnostic, scan and road test
Fault-code scan and road test.
Book this ↗Water pump from $449. Starting prices for a common car; the figure is confirmed for your car before work starts.
Prices include GST · Price terms
Details
Anything without a published price is quoted in writing, parts and labour, itemised, before it's touched. Not sure what's wrong? The diagnostic is a fault-code scan and a road test.
You stay in the driver's seat.
Diagnostic
The diagnostic is a fault-code scan and a road test. Every repair is quoted in writing before work starts. $49, so you know what is wrong before you decide on the repair.
Pressure-tested
The system is put under pressure cold so a leak shows itself. Thermostat, fan, pump and cap all checked, and the coolant tested for combustion gases.
Repaired and bled
Fixed, refilled with the right coolant for your engine, and bled properly so no air pocket is left behind. 12 months / 20,000 km on parts and labour.
Can I drive it if it only overheats sometimes?
No. Intermittent overheating usually means a thermostat, a fan or a low level, and any of them can become constant without warning. The damage happens in minutes.
Can I just top it up with water?
Water gets you off the road in an emergency and nothing more. It has no corrosion protection and a lower boiling point. Get the right coolant in it as soon as you can.
How do I know if it is the head gasket?
We do a combustion test on the coolant, which is a direct answer rather than a guess. Milky oil, white smoke and coolant vanishing with no visible leak all point the same way.
Do you quote before you fix it?
Yes. We find what is leaking and quote the repair in writing before anything is touched.
What are the signs of a cooling problem?
- The temperature gauge is climbing
- Steam, or a sweet smell after a drive
- Losing coolant with no visible leak
- The heater blows cold air
- The temperature warning light is on
- Green or orange fluid under the car
- The overflow bottle is empty when the engine is cold
Quality oils. Suitable parts.
Chosen for your car.
The oil brands we use, with parts and battery brands below. The exact product is confirmed for your vehicle.
Century batteriesBrands identify products, not sponsorship or manufacturer authorisation. Product availability and suitability are confirmed with your quote.
24 years of
mechanical experience.
Everyday servicing. European cars. Complex repairs.
Talk directly to the people working on your car.
7 Daking Street.
Mon to Sat 8:30am to 5:30pm, Sun 9am to 2pm
North Parramatta NSW 2151
Licensed repairer MVRL 62840
Expert care.
In our customers' words.
See what drivers say about their experience with Vertex Automotive.