Remove your radiator cap, then locate the drain plug on the bottom left corner of the radiator. The drain plug is tucked above the undercarriage splash guard, and can be accessed through a small hole. The OEM plug is yellow and may be fragile, so take care when twisting it. It it’s difficult to twist by hand, use the large pliers to twist it.

Locate the pipe clamps on the throttle body and air box. Loosen the clamps with the flathead screwdriver. Disconnect the PCV valve breather tube attached to the driver’s side of the intake tube, just in front of the throttle body. Disconnect the MAF sensor plug from the MAF sensor in the intake tube. Pull the tube off the airbox and throttle body and set aside.

Use the flathead screwdriver to lift and pop out the plastic screws securing the radiator cover to the engine bay.

Loosen the reservoir’s bolt using your socket and wrench so it can be moved out of the way. We recommend gently wedging it against the airbox and metal lines located on the driver’s side.

Squeeze the small coolant line’s steel clamp securing it to the reservoir to loosen and remove the hose. Use the socket and wrench to loosen the coolant reservoir’s two bolts, and remove the unit from the engine bay.

Use your thumb or the flathead screwdriver to push the electric fan plug’s quick disconnect button outward, unlocking it from the fan assembly. Gently pull on the plug to disconnect it from the fan. Check the connections on both the fan plug and the connector that feeds into the wiring harness. If you see corrosion, bent or broken pieces or other visible damage, this may be the culprit of a non-operational electric fan.

Use the large pliers to squeeze the steel clamps connecting the hoses to the radiator’s inlet and outlet ports. Shimmy the clamps off the radiator, up each hose. Pull each coolant hose off the radiator. Take care when removing the hoses, so they don’t tear or fray.

Use the socket and wrench to remove the two bolts located on each top support brace. The ends of the braces securing the radiator are simply two rubber grommets, and can be pulled away to release the braces from the radiator once the bolts are removed.

Use the socket and wrench to remove the four bolts located at the bottom and top of the radiator – there will be two on each side.

Carefully remove the radiator from the engine bay. Take extra care not to damage the air conditioner’s condenser, located in front of the radiator behind the front grille. Puncturing the condenser will cause your air conditioning system to leak refrigerant and fail.

If your existing radiator shows no signs of corrosion or physical damage, you can test whether it's leaking or clogged by jetting some water through it with your garden hose. Leave the inlet and outlet ports open and allow water to flow through the radiator. If water flows freely and minimal debris is found exiting your radiator, then it has not suffered corrosive damage. Cap one end of the radiator and fill it with water from the inlet port. If the radiator holds water, you do not have a leak and you can reuse your radiator, saving money while eliminating the possibility that your radiator is not functioning.

Use the socket to secure the fan assembly to the radiator. There are two bolts on either side, one located on the top left of the radiator, and one located at the bottom right. Once assembled, the unit will be placed back into the engine bay in the same fashion you removed the original units.

Carefully lower the new assembly into the engine bay, taking extra care not to puncture the condenser. The new radiator and fan assembly will rest in the rubber grommets and supports at the bottom of the engine bay.

Use to the socket and wrench to secure the four bolts located at the bottom and top of the radiator.

Use the socket and wrench to secure the top supports onto the frame and posts located at the top of the new radiator.

Take care to inspect the ends of the coolant lines, checking for cracks, fraying or any possible leak points. Slide each hose onto the inlet and outlet ports of the new radiator, and use the large pliers to clamp the steel connectors back onto the hoses and radiator.

Simply slide the connector back onto the plug of the new electric fan. Ensure the quick-release tab that was pulled out during removal is slid back in, locking the connector to the fan plug.

Use the socket and wrench to reinstall the coolant reservoir. Once bolted to the frame, reconnect the coolant reservoir's coolant lines in the same fashion they were removed during uninstall.

Use the original plastic plugs and push them through each hole located on the radiator cover. These are self-tapping plugs and they should re-expand when pressed in, locking them to the cover with no tools required. Take care when reinstalling each plug – they are fragile and can break easily.

Use your 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water to fill your radiator via the coolant reservoir. Once filled, your system will contain plenty of air, which can cause overheating symptoms to persist. Trapped air in the coolant system can affect the cylinder head temperature sensor and create a pocket of air that can block the flow of coolant.

To burp the system, park the car on an incline, with the radiator at the highest point. Remove the radiator cap from the coolant reservoir, and run the vehicle for 10 to 15 minutes. Run the heat at “high”. This will cycle the heater core and move coolant and trapped air through the coolant reservoir, allowing air to escape.

Once the system is burped the coolant level will go down, and it may continue to go down after one or two more re-fills. This is normal and is not indicative of a coolant leak. Once properly filled, test drive your car to determine if your cooling problem has been alleviated.

If your radiator showed signs of physical damage, blockage or corrosion, or if your electric fan did not function properly, you’ve likely solved your overheating issues with these two replacements! If not, fear not – we’ll continue to identify areas of concern that might cause overheating issues in our following articles, so stay tuned!