Corrosion inside the cooling system can cause failure of various components such as the
water pump, thermostat, radiator cap and heater control valve. The best way to prevent
corrosion is to flush the cooling system periodically and replace the antifreeze. If the
car has more than 60,000 miles, you should also consider replacing the thermostat and
radiator cap preventatively. Some modern engines cannot tolerate even a single bout of
overheating without incurring serious damage like a blown head gasket. So everything you
can do to prevent overheating is a plus.