I noticed that the coolant color in my car has changed, and I’m really worried about what it means. Can anyone give me some advice?
If it’s a new car with 17k km on it, you should take it to the dealership for warranty service.
My 24 GT mustang changed colors too! I sometimes catch a hint of coolant smell after long drives, which I don’t worry too much about. Still, I’m open to any advice on this!
Julio said:
My 24 GT mustang changed colors too! I sometimes catch a hint of coolant smell after long drives, which I don’t worry too much about. Still, I’m open to any advice on this!
You should definitely take it to the dealer. If you smell coolant, it could be leaking or burning. There could be several issues. Coolant usually lasts around 10 years. When it goes bad, it loses its sweet smell and can start causing rust. If the overflow level drops on startup, that’s not normal.
What do you mean by ‘suddenly’? The first picture looks new—no dust anywhere. The second picture looks aged, and if there’s only a 17k difference, that doesn’t seem sudden to me. VC-13 changes color with age and different heat cycles. The black spots you see look like regular debris in these systems. Make sure to check the coolant level after it sits for several hours when it’s cold.
@Cliff
The first picture is indeed when it was new, just provided that for reference. Last check was nearly 2 weeks ago, and it was yellow like factory fill. Now it’s like this.
Sebastian said:
@Cliff
The first picture is indeed when it was new, just provided that for reference. Last check was nearly 2 weeks ago, and it was yellow like factory fill. Now it’s like this.
Did you have any service done during that time?
About the color, it likely just needs a flush and fresh coolant. If the level is dropping too quickly, it may indicate a leak. The plastic tanks can cause leaks with pressure. You should also examine your oil for any signs of mixing with coolant, which could mean a head gasket issue.
@Winter
…it has 10 miles on it lol
Harper said:
@Winter
…it has 10 miles on it lol
You never know. I’ve seen engines with just one month of use have major issues.
Harper said:
@Winter
…it has 10 miles on it lol
10,000*
Harper said:
@Winter
…it has 10 miles on it lol
It has 17,000 kilometers.
Where did you get 10 miles from?
What’s with the head gasket thing?
Maybe it’s dehydrated. Mine usually gets darker when I don’t drink enough.
Ford tech here: they all do that… it’s from regular heating and cooling cycles. Fun fact, on hybrid or electric cars, the electric coolant loop doesn’t change color. This is why you should change your coolant based on the owner’s manual.
That’s normal! The discoloration happens from temperature fluctuations and regular coolant wear.
Elijah said:
That’s normal! The discoloration happens from temperature fluctuations and regular coolant wear.
I see the same in Ford products. That yellow tint in the second photo is quite common.
@Waylon
That’s the same color mine has, and I changed it about a year ago.
Has anyone serviced your coolant system? Sometimes radiator stop leak additives can change the coolant color.
Javier said:
Has anyone serviced your coolant system? Sometimes radiator stop leak additives can change the coolant color.
If someone used stop-leak in a car with only 10k miles on it, they shouldn’t be let near a car again.