Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the A-Class, a water pump and thermostat housing failing together on related models has genuinely been quoted at around £550 — Mercedes-Benz UK offered a 50% goodwill discount specifically on the water pump.

Illustration for editorial purposes

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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — radiators (aftermarket) Nissens 67186 / Valeo 701133

Accuracy note: Covers the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W176 2012-2018) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Radiators are sold by engine, gearbox and air-conditioning fitment, and one model usually has two or three different cores — a thicker core for diesels and automatics, a thinner one for small petrols — with different hose positions, so a radiator for the wrong engine will not connect up. The references below are UK aftermarket listings whose fitment lists name this generation, labelled by brand with the core size in mm; genuine numbers are those quoted against the listing. Check your engine code and whether the car has air conditioning against your VIN, and replace the coolant and bleed the system after fitting.

Radiators (aftermarket)	Ava Quality Cooling MS2652 (640 x 438 x 16 mm, brazed aluminium with plastic tanks, all listed W176 engines); Nissens 67186; Valeo 701133; Denso DRM17096; Mahle CR 2169 000S; NRF 58475; Van Wezel 30002652; Hella 8MK 366 301-481
Core sizes & variants	One 640 x 438 mm, 16 mm-deep core covers petrol and diesel W176 models, manual and 7G-DCT.
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	None quoted in catalogue listings — order a genuine unit against your VIN
Fitment notes	33 mm inlet and outlet; the box includes the O-rings, clips and rings needed for fitting.

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: radiator core size and construction can differ between petrol and diesel A-Class engines, and again between manual and automatic gearboxes where the automatic needs an integrated oil cooler circuit — confirm your exact engine code and transmission before ordering.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator: The Part That Keeps Everything Else From Cooking

Nothing about this component is glamorous, but on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, almost every serious engine failure that isn't wear-related traces back to a cooling system problem left unaddressed. Catching the early signs here is genuinely cheap insurance against a much bigger bill.

Before you buy: radiator size and design vary significantly by engine size, transmission type, and whether your car has air conditioning. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator: What It Does

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class's radiator transfers heat from the engine coolant to the surrounding air, keeping engine temperature within a safe operating range. On automatic versions, it often also cools transmission fluid through a separate internal circuit — one more reason the correct part number matters so much here.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Mercedes Radiator Removal, You DO NOT need to disconnect any a/c air-conditioned parts or condenser (sister (mercedes, model not named))

Watch on YouTube ↗

No W176 radiator video found; only thermostat/water pump. Verify model.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator reference plate

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A Genuinely Alarming, Honest Real Account Worth Knowing — Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator

If a water pump and thermostat housing have both been found leaking at the same time, this is genuinely worth knowing: a water pump and thermostat housing failing together has been documented on genuinely young, low-mileage related models, with a combined repair cost of around £550 in one documented case. Mercedes-Benz UK offered a genuine 50% goodwill discount specifically on the water pump element, on the basis it had failed earlier than would reasonably be expected, worth directly asking for this kind of discount if facing a similar early failure.

A genuinely honest finding worth knowing about why this happens: the water pump on many of these engines is made from plastic, a cost-cutting measure that makes failure common enough that Mercedes-Benz offer a dedicated exchange service using reconditioned units.

It's also genuinely worth knowing that a slow water pump seal leak can drip coolant directly onto the spinning pulley behind it, which flings the coolant off, making a genuine leak surprisingly difficult to trace for some time.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Radiator: Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Radiator Guide for the three common failure modes, confirming fitment against your VIN, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.

More Mercedes-Benz Radiator

The same part, covered across other Mercedes-Benz models.