When (time, miles), and under what circumstances, have you replaced your radiator and coolant hoses? I'm especially interested if you replaced OE Toyota items. Thanks!
I appreciate your conservative and proactive approach. I believe there's a water-cooled heat exchanger at the bottom fo the radiator.I'd say every 10 years, both, while also doing the thermostat. When they do start to go they may or may not give you plenty of warning, assuming it is noticed.
I cannot recall, do these models have a water cooled transmission cooler at bottom of engine radiator? If so, even more reason to stick to a 10 yr schedule, don't want the 'pink milkshake' transmission issues.
So you're saying the (horrific) rear-ender in 2019 COULD have caused a gradual leak in the Trans cooler ? ( radiator was put in NEW in 2018 ). Because of COVID, the vehicle wasn't driven much, starting March 2020 ; transmission problems started in Fall of 2021---slipping gears, clunking sounds---but got SO bad in Spring 2022 that the trans would give OUT in DRIVE at the worst possible times ( like trying to turn left thru cross traffic ; vehicle would rev Only, & wouldn't move out of the way of oncoming cars ! ). I argued that the 2019 accident caused HIDDEN damage, that didn't fully surface until almost three years later ( because of COVID restrictions ). They said NO WAY.The radiator and engine/trans are not connected to the same main parts of the vehicle.
Radiator is on body while the engine/trans are on the frame. So in a rear end, the two don't get hit/moved the same way. This would cause enough movement of the transmission in/out lines from the radiator to break their seals.
When the hoses get replaced I'll be using OE.Correct answer is...never. Unless they're very hard, or conversely very soft. The non OE you use will be very hard or very soft in about 2 years.
P.S. Get rid of the spring clamps when possible.
An original radiator will last a long time but it won't last forever.
Id personally not change it unless there is a failure. But I'm cheap... but I also inspect everything regularly looking for leaks or cracks and can change my radiator in like 15 minutes..... My old original radiator had tiny hairline cracks on the tank that would drip... .that's when i replaced mine........a year after I noticed the leaks and they got slightly worse.......... The tanks also discolored to a brownish color.... that's another way you can tell the plastic is getting old. It was about 16 years old but had less than 40K miles. I probably should have changed it earlier cause that was a disaster waiting to happen.
If you don't want to wait for a failure, Id say check everything once a week. Look for
1. cracks / leaks
2. coolant loss / puddling
3, Discolored radiator tanks
4. feel for mushy or excessively hard brittle hoses.
If you were to go by a time...Id go once every 25 years for the radiator, and change the hoses whenever you change the radiator. Don;t foerget to inspect / check heater hoses... those usually go bad before the actual radiator hoses...