Today’s car and trucks are more complicated than ever and continue to evolve. Despite the trend towards EVs, all types of vehicles still have a cooling system. These systems no longer just keep the engine motors cool; they cool and warm various components under the hood, as well as other areas of the vehicle. To distribute coolant to these components, the “radiator hoses”, as they were once called, have become much more complicated. They even contain assorted elements built into the hose to perform a wide variety of tasks, like sensors and flow restrictors. These hose assemblies are called “modular” coolant hoses, because they employ a variety of modules in their construction. A modular hose is defined as a coolant hose assembly, with one or more modules built into the hose. These modules can be a branching tee in the hose, quick-connect, valve, drain, air-bleeder or sensors.

Primarily you will see modular hoses on European vehicles, however Asian makes are quickly following suit. Why you ask? A modular hose simplifies the plumbing of the vehicle at assembly. One hose assembly will connect multiple components.

The modules within the hoses are critical to the proper operation of the cooling system. For example, some hoses include flow-restrictors within the hose. These restrictors reduce the flow and pressure within the hose to certain components such as the heater core; and are required to maintain core integrity.  Last year Gates received a call from a consumer regarding the repeated failure of a heater core in a limousine. Seems the limo had a leaking modular hose and a workshop replaced it with a new, non-modular hose. Soon after, the heater core started leaking. The heater core was replaced, and after just a few months, it started leaking again. Once they finished explaining the situation they were asked if the replacement hose included a flow-restrictor; it did not. Without the restrictor, system pressure was simply too high for the core. When replaced with a Gates modular hose the issue went away.

Modular hoses are not a dealer only item, you can find the same Gates aftermarket modular hose in NAPA Auto Parts branches for significantly less, saving your customer substantially and making it more profitable for you. NAPA Auto Parts now stocks 61 modular hose part numbers, covering more than 280,000 vehicles on the road and more than 1,300 vehicle applications.

For more information on Gates modular hose range go to visit.gates.com/Modular-Hose.