Think of the radiator hoses as the main arteries of your car’s cooling system. They are heavy-duty rubber tubes designed to transport pressurized, scorching-hot coolant between the engine and the radiator. The upper hose usually carries hot coolant from the engine to the radiator to be cooled, while the lower hose returns the cooled liquid back to the water pump. In South Africa’s extreme heat, these hoses are under constant pressure. Because they are made of rubber, they naturally "bake" over time, becoming brittle, soft, or cracked. A single burst hose can drain your entire cooling system in seconds, leading to a catastrophic engine "meltdown" before you can even pull off the N1.
Radiator/cooling system hoses are an important part of your car's cooling system, which is designed to keep the engine from overheating. When your car's engine is running it creates heat. The radiator/cooling system hoses carry coolant through the radiator and back through the engine to keep it operating at an optimal temperature. There are multiple hoses in a given system. An upper hose connects the top of the radiator to the top of the engine. A lower hose connects the bottom of the radiator to the water pump of the engine, which keeps coolant flowing through the system. If a radiator/cooling system hose bursts or leaks, the engine will not get the proper amount of coolant and will overheat, possibly causing severe damage. The hoses are made of rubber, so It is common for them to crack and weaken over time and because of the high temperature in the engine compartment. It is a good idea to replace the hoses every 5 years or 60,000 kilometres. If you see coolant (red, yellow or green fluid) on your driveway get the car inspected for leaks. If you suspect a leak, do not delay the repair. Driving with leaking hoses can cause severe damage to the engine. It is important to replace worn or leaking hoses as preventative maintenance to prevent future failure of these hoses where they may burst, causing engine overheating.