Coolant is one of the many liquids that your vehicle needs in order to operate effectively. When you don't have enough coolant in your vehicle to keep the engine and transmission cooled off, your vehicle is more likely to overheat.
Coolant Keeps Things Cool
Coolant helps keep your engine and transmission at the right temperature so you can drive your vehicle. Coolant helps regulate the temperature of your engine and transmission, kind of like how sweat helps regulate the temperature of your body.
When your vehicle gets too hot, it overheats, which can cause some serious damage to your engine and transmission. If it gets too hot, you are not going to even be able to drive your vehicle. That is why it is important to keep coolant in your vehicle.
Coolant Needs to Be Flushed
The coolant in your vehicle is not designed to last forever. Over time, coolant leaks out of your vehicle. Contaminants can get into your vehicle's coolant as well, causing the coolant to work less effectively than it should.
It is a good idea to flush the coolant in your vehicle every two to three years. Your vehicle's owner manual should provide you specifics on how often to flush the coolant in your vehicle. If you are a high-mileage driver or if you live an area with a lot of smog, you may need to flush your coolant on a more regular basis.
When you flush the coolant in your vehicle, all of the coolant is removed from your vehicle. Then, new coolant is run through your engine to clean out any leftover debris. That coolant is also removed from your engine. Then, new coolant is added to your engine.
Coolant Often Needs to Be Mixed with Water
You should check your coolant level every month, just like you check your oil levels. If the coolant level ever dips below the minimum level, you should top off the coolant. When you top off the coolant, pay close attention to the mixture.
Coolant is designed to be mixed with water. Some coolant mixtures are already mixed with water for you. Other coolant mixtures do not already water added, so you have to add the water yourself. It is supposed to be a fifty-fifty split of water and coolant. You don't want to just use water from your faucet, either. You want to purchase distilled water that is as free of contaminants as possible.
Coolant plays an important role in keeping your vehicle's engine and transmission cool enough to operate. Make sure that you flush out your coolant every few years, and when you top off your coolant, pay attention to the mixture that you purchased. Make sure that it is either a 50/50 mix with water, or have some distilled water on hand to add to the coolant to create the right mixture. To learn more, contact a company like Felix's Auto Repair & Towing.
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