Q: Where would the radiator drain plug be located on my vehicle? 2003 Chevrolet Impala

asked by on January 07, 2017

My car is running hot. I've changed oht the thermostat,water pump,and put a new hose on it. The car was running good for about a week and started back running hot. The coolant is full and the engine wont take any more water. I was advised to do a radiator flush next.Could my engine be clogged?

My car has 225000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Car is overheating Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello, the radiator drain plug will be a the bottom edge of the radiator, facing the engine (passenger side). If you drain the coolant, be sure to catch it with a pan of some sort, and properly dispose of it. It will poison animals, and contaminate ground water. Most likely, your radiator is clogged, given your high mileage, and needs professional cleaning, or replacement. The newer radiators use plastic end-tanks, which are often best exchanged for new ones. I would recommend a cooling system inspection by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, confirm this diagnosis, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Problems with my catalytic converter
Lets talk about the catalyst converter and what kind of problems it can cause a car to have when it fails. One of the most common types of failures is when it just quits doing its job. The computer has...
New antenna module radio - 2013 Infiniti FX37
Hello. It appears that some models of FX37 are equipped with XM tuners and some are not. You can check to see if your vehicle has one, however, it may be entirely possible that it does not and that the...
No start no crank . Battery, alternates, starter, fuses are all good . Used a voltage meter . Engine is not locked up what is it
If the engine does not crank at all, this is likely an issue related to power supply to the starter (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/starter-replacement). This may be caused by faulty or a bad ground connection or potentially a bad starter relay or starter...
VSA problem
Hi there. The VSA light is on indicating that the traction control is active. This will turn on the brake system and try to control the vehicle in the event a tire will slip. The wheel sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/wheel-speed-sensor-replacement) on the...
Why is my car sputtering? 2005 Saturn Ion
Hi there - a car that sputters may have an ignition misfire (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/misfire-in-engine), or a fuel supply issue (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/fuel-pressure-low) causing this behavior. You mentioned the Check Engine Light (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/check-engine-light-is-on-inspection) is on - getting the problem codes is task #1. The...
My rear passenger tire blew out earlier today and tore off some wiring under the car. Replaced wiring but no fuel goes to engine?
To determine if the fuel pump is disconnected, turn the key to the "on" (not start) position and listen for the in tank fuel pump momentarily running (the pump should make a brief "whirring" noise and then stop). If you...
2001 pontiac grand prix seatbelt light came on and will not go off
The first thing to do is to check under each seat and inspect the wires and connections to each seatbelt latch and seat sensors. You most likely broke or knocked loose one of the seat belt connectors or wires.
I have reach a little over 46k miles on my 2015 VW Jetta Base model L4 - 2.0L & is due for spark plugs, what all do I need done?
Hi there. One of our better tools on this website and also available through our mobile app is the scheduled maintenance search tool that can be accessed by clicking this link (https://www.yourmechanic.com/scheduled-maintenance). Simply enter your vehicle information in each section...
My 2000 chev blzr ran hot then water was added after cooled down seemed OK drove it did OK then ran hot again
If your engine overheats within 5 minutes then I would say it is a thermostat is stuck closed. In your case you drove longer than this before it overheated. You may have a water pump not pumping enough water or...

Related articles

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid
If If you’re looking for a half-ton pickup truck that also gets great gas mileage, look no further than the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid. While it has the towing and carrying capacity you’d look for in any regular truck, it...
3 Essential Things to Know About Your Car’s Temperature Gauge
A car temperature gauge shows how hot the engine is. If the temperature gauge reads high, your car could be leaking coolant or have a bad water pump.
Essential Things to Know About the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Electric Car
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is the first all-electric car under $50k. The Chevy Bolt has a higher EPA rating than Tesla and gets 238 miles per charge.