If the corrosion inhibitors have deteriorated, the antifreeze coolant should be changed. The cooling system can be checked with test strips that measure acidity, and with a hydrometer that measures freezing and boiling protection. That’s to look for signs of rust, leaks and to make sure it has sufficient cooling and overheating protection, even if the cooling system seems to be working properly and the reservoir is full. Thus, the coolant in any vehicle with more than about 50,000 miles should be tested periodically. And that can cause a car engine to overheat. Corrosion can damage the radiator, water pump, thermostat, radiator cap, hoses and other parts of the cooling system, as well as to the vehicle heater system. The coolant can become more acidic over time and lose its rust-inhibiting properties, causing corrosion. Even if the coolant reservoir shows sufficient coolant level and testing shows the cooling and antifreeze protection are still adequate, a coolant drain and antifreeze flush may be needed. Modern vehicles also have longer intervals between fluid changes of all types partly because environmental regulators have pressured automakers to reduce the amount of old coolant, as well as other waste fluids, that must be disposed of or recycled.Ĭoolant can deteriorate over time and should be tested to see if it’s still good, as it can be hard to tell just by appearances. Here’s why: Most vehicles use long-life engine coolant (usually a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water) in the radiator that for several years will provide protection against boiling in hot weather and freezing in cold temperatures, with little or no maintenance. Many service shops, though - including some at dealerships that sell cars with “lifetime” coolant - say you should do a coolant change more often than the maintenance schedule recommends, such as every 30,000 or 50,000 miles. The schedule for many Chevrolets, though, is a change at 150,000 miles regardless of how the vehicle is driven. Some manufacturers recommend you drain and flush the engine’s cooling system and change the coolant more often on vehicles subjected to “severe service,” such as frequent towing, which can generate more heat.
On still other Mercedes, it’s 150,000 miles or 15 years. The interval is every 30,000 miles on some Mercedes-Benz models with some engines, but on others it’s 120,000 miles or 12 years. For others, changing it isn’t even on the maintenance schedule.įor example, Hyundai says the coolant in the engine (what many refer to as “antifreeze”) in most of its models should be replaced after the first 60,000 miles, then every 30,000 miles after that. A good routine flush of your antifreeze coolant system helps us avoid this - When is the right time to change your engine coolant? For some vehicles, you’re advised to change the coolant every 30,000 miles. Eventually, the un-flushed coolant/debris mixture, in your radiator, turns into a brown sludge that can clog vital parts in your radiator hose and other parts of your engine, leading to engine overheating. Deteriorated coolant becomes acidic and eats away at metal cooling system components in your radiator and other parts of the engine. If you’ve got antifreeze gunk build-up in your radiator or radiator hose, your car is long overdue for a coolant flush.
That’s why you should have your coolant flushed per the recommended service schedule. But you don’t want to let it get to that point. In some cases, if the coolant goes long enough without service, it will start to darken and become brownish in color. Make sure to flush your antifreeze coolant at the time and mileage recommended by the automaker. Don’t wait until your coolant is discolored and funky looking.
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