How often should hoses be replaced?

Your engine needs coolant, your steering rack needs fluid, and your calipers need fluid to compress the rotors and stop the car. Most liquids reach their destination through hoses. These hoses are usually made from…

Your engine needs coolant, your steering rack needs fluid, and your calipers need fluid to compress the rotors and stop the car. Most liquids reach their destination through hoses. These hoses are usually made of rubber and wear out over time. Different types of hoses are subject to different wear and therefore have different service lives.

How often do hoses need to be changed?

Most auto and belt manufacturers recommend replacing hoses about every 4 years. Of course, this will change depending on the mileage - a car that is heavily used may need to replace the hoses much sooner.

How to tell if your hoses need replacing

There are several key points to look out for, including kinks, hard or brittle textures, surface cracks, blistering or blisters.

Inspect the hoses and look for any kinks or obvious signs of wear. Compress the radiator hoses (COLD ONLY) and see how they feel. If the hoses are soft and pliable, they do not need to be changed. However, if the hoses become stiff, cracked or brittle, they must be replaced.

While squeezing the hoses, inspect the surface for small cracks. They can easily turn into big problems as they are the main "explosion" point of the hose.

You can also check where the hoses connect to the intake or exhaust pipe. Look for bulges or bubbles around the clamps as these are a sign of impending failure.

Hoses can last a long time, but replacing them before they fail is always the best option, as it can keep you from being stuck on the side of the road waiting for help to arrive.