Cooling System & Radiator in Princeton, NJ

Service Details

Cooling System Service at Tiger Garage in Princeton

Your cooling system has one job: keep the engine from getting too hot. When it fails at that job, the damage happens fast. A warped cylinder head or a cracked engine block costs orders of magnitude more to fix than a water pump or a thermostat. At Tiger Garage on Witherspoon Street, we service the full cooling system on all makes and models, whether you drive a Toyota Camry, a BMW 3 Series, or a high-mileage Jeep Grand Cherokee with a lot of hard New Jersey winters behind it.

We start with a pressure test to check for leaks in the radiator, hoses, heater core, and water pump. Then we check the coolant itself: freeze protection, pH, and signs of contamination. Old coolant turns acidic over time and starts attacking the aluminum and rubber components it flows through. If the coolant looks like it's due for a flush, we'll tell you and explain what happens if you leave it alone. If it's fine, we'll tell you that too.

Thermostats and water pumps tend to fail quietly until they don't. A thermostat stuck closed will push your temperature gauge toward the red before you've had time to pull over. A leaking water pump bearing can go from a faint whine to a major problem in a short stretch of miles. We look at both during a cooling system inspection and let you know if either one is showing signs of wear, so you can plan a repair before it becomes an emergency on Route 1 at rush hour.

Coolant flushes are one of the most skipped maintenance items on the schedule. Most manufacturers recommend flushing and refilling the system every two to five years depending on the coolant type. If you're not sure when yours was last done, we can test the fluid and give you a straight answer on whether it's still good or overdue.