| Checking Coolant |
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Note that I didn’t say “water” but “coolant”; there’s a difference. Coolant for most cars is a mixture of half water and half antifreeze. (The car’s owner’s manual will be more specific.) In colder climates, coolant may be all antifreeze. Many cars have a plastic coolant reserve tank at one side or the other of the radiator. If so, there probably are marks on the side of the tank indicating FULL or MAX and LOW or MIN. If the coolant level is between these two lines, add coolant until the level is at the FULL or MAX line. Don’t overfill. If the coolant is below the LOW or MIN line, or your car doesn’t have a coolant reserve tank, carefully remove the radiator’s cap and slowly fill the radiator with coolant. (Filling slowly allows air in the radiator to escape.) Most radiator caps are turned counter-clockwise to remove and clockwise to tighten. Once full, reinstall the radiator cap and, if needed, fill the reserve tank. Finally, wipe up any excess coolant as it can damage some paint finishes. In addition, coolant is toxic, especially to animals. Car Alarm Be very careful when removing the radiator cap because the hot coolant is under pressure and can scald your skin. Radiator caps can be loosened in steps, turning slightly to release pressure without blowing the cap off. It’s safer to take an extra 15 minutes or more and let the radiator cool down before opening the cap.
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The first check many folks make is radiator coolant level. On some cars this is easier than on others. The radiator is located at the front of the engine compartment just behind the hood latch. Newer engines made of aluminum don’t need as large of a radiator as older engines so modern radiators are relatively small. Because they are smaller, it’s even more important to make sure that the engine has sufficient coolant. An aluminum engine without coolant can destroy itself in minutes.
