How to Check Coolant

What is coolant, anyway? And how do you check your coolant level? If you’re learning how to take care of a vehicle for the first time, you should know that coolant is a general term, which may refer to antifreeze or to a mixture of antifreeze and water. Either way, it’s a fluid that regulates your vehicle’s internal temperature and prevents both freezing and overheating.

What to Look for When Checking Your Coolant Level

Learning how to check your coolant level only takes a moment, and in most cases, you won’t even need to get your hands dirty. All that you need to do is:

1. Locate the radiator. It should be easy to spot, but you can always check your owner’s manual if you’re unsure.
2. On the reservoir that’s attached to the radiator, locate the “full” line. The coolant itself may be blue, green, yellow, or red, but in any event, you want to make sure that you have enough.
3. If you need to add more coolant, you’ll need to remove the radiator cap–but be careful! If you haven’t given your vehicle enough time to cool, it’s going to be very hot to the touch.

If you’re anywhere near Beachwood or Mayfield, you can find fresh coolant at our parts department.

When Should You Schedule Service?

If your vehicle is overheating, you should pull over immediately and let it cool. Don’t pop the hood and try to check the coolant level right away, as the hood will likely be hot to the touch. You’ll want to head directly to a local service center as soon as it’s safe to drive. Some drivers keep a small amount of extra coolant to help them take the next steps in such an emergency. If you’re performing a routine check of your coolant level, there are several symptoms that are cause for concern:

• Especially thick coolant indicates a gasket leak, which will cause you to rapidly lose coolant. Schedule service as soon as possible.
• Rust-colored coolant could be an indication that there’s a problem with your radiator, so you’ll want to have that checked out too.
• Coolant will deplete and wear out over time. Check on the system at least once every three to six months, and flush with fresh product if you notice that it’s brownish or colorless in tone.

Get More Service Tips from Mercedes-Benz of Bedford in Bedford!

Now that you have an idea of how to check your coolant level at home in Cleveland, we wouldn’t be surprised if you were ready to learn more about DIY service and maintenance. Although our own Bedford service team is always happy to help, we know how satisfying it can be to learn how to care for a vehicle on your own.