Beware of Potholes and Pinholes This Winter

For motorists driving in wet, snowy and freezing conditions, two telltale signs of winter will be apparent: potholes and pinholes.

Potholes can't be avoided until maintenance crews begin their road repairs. So, drive defensively.

Pinholes - the kind that spew liquid coolant from car engine hoses - can be averted with a basic check of the cooling system this fall.

You can do this, yourself, in the convenience of your driveway or garage.

According to Gates Rubber Company engineers, the primary cause of coolant hose failure is an electrochemical attack on the tube compound of the hose.

The phenomenon, known as electrochemical degradation, or ECD, produces fine cracks, or striations, in the tube wall. These cracks extend from the inside to the outside of the hose tube, near one or both ends of the hose. The coolant seeps through these cracks and attacks the hose reinforcement as it wicks along the length of the hose. The condition eventually results in a pinhole leak or a burst hose at failure.

Gates says you can check a coolant hose for the effects of ECD by letting the engine cool down, and then squeezing the hose near the clamps or connectors. If the ends are soft and feel mushy, chances are, the hose is under attack by ECD.

A replacement interval of four years for all coolant carrying hoses - especially the upper radiator, bypass and heater hoses - can help prevent unexpected failure from ECD.

Gates says the incidence of hose failure increases sharply after four years for most vehicles.