30th of October 2013 ... Number of Responses 1 --

I had to have the radiator replaced in my 2005 Dodge Caravan 3 weeks ago. Shortly after it started leaking anti-freeze and now they tell me I need new hoses & manifold something. Could this be related? I'm not happy about two $500 repairs in one month!

They might and they might not be related. Totally understand how having paid for a fix that did not fix everything is frustrating. When the radiator was replaced, the mechanic should have manually pressurized the system to verify no more leaks. What can happen is that the radiator was leaking so badly that when system was pressurized before the work started it was the only thing leaking. Once radiator was replaced then rest of cooling system would get pressurized and leaks can appear elsewhere in parts that have failed or are failing. Possible at time there was no other leaks and it was just unfortunate timing that the hoses and gasket went out three weeks later because they would now be pressurized since the radiator was fixed. Usually mechanics would caution that because of the age of the vehicle, more parts could need to be replaced than originally estimated. You did not mention the timing cover gasket but it is a common leak and would cost close to $1000 or more to fix if you include the other planned fix. My concern would be if they possibly missed the other leaks the first time around would they catch any other leaks before they have done the next repair. No mechanic is ever perfect but at the same time it is nicer if mechanic identifies all possible costs up front so that the owner of an older vehicle can make the decision if it is worth repairing or not. If you can get a second opinion of all the repairs needed I would recommend that.