Among the more common household disasters is flooding of the laundry area due to a split hose on a washing machine. It can happen while the family is asleep or away from home, resulting in horrendous damage.

Also vulnerable to a similar disaster is your car. A bulging radiator hose, carrying hot water (coolant) under pressure, can rupture. The damage to the engine can add up to thousands of dollars. Cooling system neglect is cited as a principal reason for mechanical failure of a vehicle. Discovering a leaking radiator, hose connection, sticking thermostat or other cooling system component that's on "borrowed time" can help save the life of one's engine.

There's more than repair money to be saved by proper maintenance of a vehicle's cooling system, says the Car Care Council. A faulty thermostat, for example, which can cause an engine to run too cold, can cut fuel economy by 10 to 20 percent. And, of course, there's the possible cost and inconvenience of a breakdown on the road.

Take This Cooling System Quiz!

How much do you know about this vital engine system?

1. The recommended coolant mixture for Subaru vehicles is:

a. pure coolant
b. 50% coolant and 50% water
c. 40% coolant and 60% water

2. In the cooling system, the thermostat:

a. controls engine temperature
b. works the air conditioner
c. modulates the diodes

3. A radiator cap is designed to:

a. keep water from sloshing out of the radiator
b. keep the cooling system operating at a specified pressure
c. last indefinitely

4. Cooling systems on many cars today:

a. have no water pump
b. never need to be flushed
c. are equipped with an electric fan on the radiator

Answers:

1. b. is correct, protecting to -33ºF. Never use pure coolant.

2. a. is correct. A faulty thermostat can cause an engine to run too hot or too cold, which can damage the engine.

3. b. is correct. And when replacing the cap, be sure to install the right one for your vehicle. Pressure recommendations vary.

4. c. is correct.