As winter approaches and the temperatures drop it is important to understand how to look after your vehicle through the colder months. As radiator specialists, we understand just how important cooling is to the function of the engine. So, here today, we have a general guide for the average person to understand the importance of checking their engine’s coolant levels and how to address any problems they might find.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Cars Cooling System

Your car’s cooling system, including its radiator, requires a chemical coolant that helps to maintain stable temperatures in the engine. So, as well as preventing the engine from getting too hot, the specialized liquid coolant also ensures your car never gets too cold, which is essential through the winter months.

Coolant contains anti-corrosive properties, but over time as it is circulated through the engine, it can become acidic and lead to corrosive damage on the inside of the engine. Most modern coolants have advanced significantly, and where once you would be asked to change your coolant every two years of 30,000 miles, modern coolants can last five years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first.

It is always best, however, to check your car’s maintenance manual to understand the specific needs of your vehicle’s engine. Today we are going to talk about the importance of coolant, but anything you are unsure of that is not covered in this guide should always be referred to a specialist or professional.

So, if your coolant is within its lifetime period, the other thing we need to check is whether there is enough of it in the engine. Using your owner’s manual, you can locate the coolant tank, it is often fairly visible and has a ‘min-max’ mark on the side. As long as your coolant is within the min-max mark, there is enough coolant in your engine. If it is below that mark it requires topping up or replacing entirely.

The process of replacing coolant includes the handling and disposal of harmful chemicals that should be dealt with via the laws and regulations of your local county or country. It can be done at home but will not be covered here, though it is always safe to say that taking it to a professional will be the easiest fix. If not, there are many guides out there explaining the process for you.

What is coolant, and what does it have to do with Antifreeze?

Antifreeze is a group of chemicals that lower the freezing point of water and simultaneously increases its boiling point.

Coolant is a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and distilled water. The water is distilled to ensure no minerals are left behind that could react with the antifreeze or cause corrosion on the inside of your engine.

So, we take antifreeze and mix it in equal parts with water to create a mixture we call ‘coolant’. This coolant is what you will find in your engine’s radiators, allowing your engine to maintain its functions during cold weather, down to approximately -34⁰C.

Coolant comes in differing forms, IAT, OAT and HOAT.

IAT: Inorganic Additive Technology
OAT: Organic Acid Technology
HOAT: Hybrid Organic Acid Technology

As a rule of thumb, IAT coolant is what most older cars use, and is the coolant that requires changing once every two years or 30,000 miles.

OAT and HOAT are both more modern versions of coolant that can run for over five years or up to 50,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Check your owner’s manual, or with your car’s dealership as to the correct coolant required for your car before topping up.

Coolant comes pre-mixed/pre-diluted so you can simply unscrew the cap and add it until the level sits between the min-max mark.

Summary

So, we hope you have learned the following today:

  • Antifreeze keeps your car both hot and cold
  • Coolant is antifreeze mixed with equal parts distilled water
  • There are three types of coolant, IAT, OAT and HOAT
  • You should check your owner’s manual or with your dealership to know which is right for your vehicle
  • Using your vehicles maintenance guide, you should locate your vehicles coolant tank under the bonnet
  • On the side of the tank, you can check the level of coolant based on the ‘min-max’ mark
  • Once you know the correct coolant you can simply unscrew the cap and top it up
  • If the coolant requires replacement, you can find a more in-depth guide or take it to your local garage