Ford Repair: Broken Radiator, replacement radiator, engine coolant

Question
The radiator on my girlfriend's Ford Probe broke recently. What does the radiator do? What might cause it to break? How much should it cost to replace? Thank you.

Answer
T.J.-

  A radiator is basically like a heat extractor for the engine coolant.  Coolant is run through the radiator tubing where air crosses the outside of the tubing and extracts heat.  The coolant then goes back through the engine and keeps it at a reasonable tepmperature.  There's a lot of reasons radiators break, but the most common is simply age.  The tubes can rust or corrode and burst or it can become blogged by mineral deposits left by water and cause a pressure build up.  As for replacement costs, it depends on the shop, the replacement radiator, and a few other factors, but I'd say you're looking at anywhere from $200-$400 with labor at a decent shop (i.e. not a dealership).  Hope this helps.

Steve