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‘I'm Guessing You Have a Bad Radiator:’ Woman Puts 'Whole Tub' of Coolant in Her Car. She Doesn't Understand Why It's Still Dry

"Call Dad."

Engine Coolant Leak

Photo by: TikTok

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Jul 8, 2025 at 9:00pm ET

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A woman realizes that she may have a big issue after putting an entire tub of coolant into her car, just for all of it to drip out.

“I just put a whole [expletive] thing of coolant, and it’s dry," Dani (@danikrapf24) begins in a viral video.

The post displays the current dripping state of the coolant coming out of the car, and it’s non-stop. “Someone please help me I’m over this issue,” she captions with a call for mechanics to chime in.

“Don’t get me wrong, I spilled a little of it, but it’s really leaking out,” she says.

Clearly left flustered and confused, Dani pleads for help from car enthusiasts on the internet to figure out what to do next.

“How do I fix this? Do I need a man to fix this?” she concludes.

The post went viral, garnering 18,700 views as of this writing, and several commenters were encouraging.

“Call Dad, that's what my daughter does and it works every time for her. plus it's a lot cheaper.” one TikTok commenter said.

“Yes you need a man or a woman that knows about cars but it's a good idea to call a tow truck to get it to a shop before you get more damage,” a second shared.

“You don’t need a man, but I recommend a good flashlight and a few gallons of water. Coolant is expensive. Let it stop dripping. Then slowly pour water till it starts leaking. Then use the flashlight to find the leak. Take a picture, then google your vehicle and what that part is. Then you can see if it’s a job you can fumble your way to fixing it. Sometimes it can be a simple fix. Other times it could require a mechanic. But you don’t need a man to fix a car,” a third encouraged.

“I’m guessing you have a bad radiator hose or the clamp has gone bad. You can fix it yourself but you need some tools. Women can use tools just like men do,” another shared.

Signs of a Bad Radiator

The radiator is an essential part of a vehicle’s cooling system. It cools hot coolant by passing it through narrow tubes. Air passes over these tubes, cooling the coolant, Car Parts reports.

A few warning signs of a bad radiator include overheating, leaking coolant, and discolored coolant.

When the engine overheats, there might be something wrong with the radiator. This can be caused by a faulty thermostat that will no longer open. This leads to the engine overheating and potentially breaking down.

Additionally, when the radiator is leaking, this will lead to coolant levels becoming too low. When there isn’t enough coolant to reduce the heat, the engine might become too hot.

Radiators are typically made with both metal and plastic. Plastic can become brittle and start cracking from overheating, leading to leaks.

If you discover a green, orange, blue, pink, or yellow spot under your car, it could be coolant leaking from the radiator, hose, water pump, or gasket/seal, FelPro reports.

How Much Will Repairs Cost on a Radiator?

ConsumerAffairs reports repairs on a car radiator will cost between $250 and $750. Honest mechanics will do everything possible to repair the radiator before replacing it. The cost to replace a new radiator can range between $750 and $1,850, depending on the make and model of the vehicle.

This cost can vary with what repair is exactly needed, and figuring out the cause of the coolant leak will determine the tab.

What Causes Coolant Leaks?

According to FelPro, there are five possible causes for coolant leaks.

Hole in Radiator
Faulty Radiator Cap
Hose Leak
Water Pump
Engine Gaskets and Seals

Hole in Radiator

Even with anti-corrosive agents in antifreeze coolants, holes can still happen. Being in the front of the car, the radiator takes a lot of abuse. A hole from a rock or other debris can cause coolant to leak out.

Faulty Radiator Cap

The radiator cap seals in all the pressure of the cooling system. This cap is located on the plastic part of the radiator and can warp over time due to overheating. The seal can break down and allow antifreeze to leak.

Hose Leak

A leak in any of the hoses can cause the leaking of coolant. If one of these hoses develops a crack or hole, coolant may leak.

Water Pump

The seal where the pump shaft passes through the pump body can leak coolant.

Blown Engine Gaskets and Seals

Gasket seals secure the space between the cylinder head and the engine block. If this fails, coolant and engine oil may mix together. These parts can leak due to engine overheating, wear, or lack of cooling system maintenance.

A leak won’t fix itself and can worsen quickly, potentially leading to further damage to your car’s engine.

For someone who’s handy with tools in the garage, changing a radiator might be a task to undertake. However, if this isn’t your wheelhouse, this fix requires the support of a mechanic, so it’s best to schedule an appointment.

What do you think?

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Motor1 has contacted Dani via email. This story will be updated if she replies.

Update July 14: Dani told Motor1, "After I took the video the car stopped driving completely.”

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