Toyota anti freeze

ca.detailchick

ca.detailchick

New member
Toyota claims their anti freeze(red) doesnt need to be changed for 100 thousand miles !

Does anyone know if this is really true ? I have a hard time beleiving it.

Ive always flushed my radiator every 2 years and put in new anti freeze.
 
I'm not proud of it but i have 118xxx on my 4runner w/ origional AF.. know for a fact it wasnt changed before i bought it. I need to do the timing belt and it is included in the procedure adn thats why i havent done it..

absolutelty no issues in 9 yrs w/ 118,xxx (knock on wood)
 
Scoobydann --

You probably hold the record for not ever changing your Antifreeze, and your radiator, heater, and engine block have not imploded.

What these new Antifreeze formulations do, besides keeping the water from freezing, is help the mixture in there not turn into acids after it gets old, that attack the soft metals in the radiator, engine block, etc., and render your engine to a dying or dead condition. :)

The old antifreeze formulas used to be only good for a year or so, before they turned into that acidic product that went amok inside your cooling system. It also forms a quantity of sludge like stuff that in some cases, will plug up the radiator cores and cause problems.
Except for scoobydann, who has the only vehicle in the world that has not been affected. :)

In my opinion, it would always be good to dump that stuff out sooner than you, scoobydann; so glad you are not having problems - you might want to go buy a Lottery ticket, you lucky guy you ! :)

DC - you can do what you are doing and it should be fine. They do sell antifreeze testers that you can use to see how its going in there.
You would want to take your sample from the overflow tank if possible, so you dont depressurize the cooling system, but if you cant, you can still take it out of the radiator - just make sure the engine and radiator are cooled down completely.

Dan F
 
I change my coolant every 2 years & also many other of the fluids on my Tundra. Chemicals can sure change their properties from day to day so I rather play it safe. Don't wanna have to say.." my engine siezed but the Truck is darn shiny".
 
Toyota Red Coolant (long life) and Toyota Pink Coolant (super long life) are somewhat different. I own a Highlander that came with the pink one. I believe the change happened around 2003.

I don't remember the intervals, but the red coolant has a more frequent interval than the pink one. I don't recommend mixing them.
 
My wife's 03 Matrix XRS ( 106,000) has that long lasting antifreeze and just had it change out last month. So far so good.
 
Thanks everyone for your posts.

I did not know they made a pink and red coolant! Not sure but guessing mine would be the pink!

Sounds like it may be ok otherwise you would have problems with radiators and water pumps and other parts of the cooling system breaking down I would think.

Thats amazing it can go that many miles without problems.

I may change mine out after a few years anyway.
 
I would probably change it at 50K if the interval was 100k. I do accept that engines are better engineering than they had been.
 
Ford Fusion and probably Lincoln Mercury cars are scheduled for 150,000 mile coolant change.

For $42, the dealer performs oil, filter, tire rotation and multi-point inspection (every 7,500 miles) which includes checking and topping off coolant and other fluids. To change fluids before time is simply increasing the cost of ownership and wasting products.

Now lots of guys will say, " I do it myself". Great, but what do you do with the old coolant and how do you prevent the flush from going on the ground or in the storm system?

I used to do all my own DIY maintenance until I realized that it costs about $.006 cents per mile to have the dealer do it.

How many of you still do the 3,000 mile oil change? Severe service vehicles excluded.
 
Mr. Gloss;401802 Now lots of guys will say said:
flush[/B] from going on the ground or in the storm system?

I used to do all my own DIY maintenance until I realized that it costs about $.006 cents per mile to have the dealer do it.
Click to expand...

Most counties should have hazardous waste disposal services but I know some are still stuck in 1930's thinking - just allow people to dump on the ground.

You can call some places like auto shops and they accept recycled stuff.
 
Mr. Gloss said:
Ford Fusion and probably Lincoln Mercury cars are scheduled for 150,000 mile coolant change.

For $42, the dealer performs oil, filter, tire rotation and multi-point inspection (every 7,500 miles) which includes checking and topping off coolant and other fluids. To change fluids before time is simply increasing the cost of ownership and wasting products.

Now lots of guys will say, " I do it myself". Great, but what do you do with the old coolant and how do you prevent the flush from going on the ground or in the storm system?

I used to do all my own DIY maintenance until I realized that it costs about $.006 cents per mile to have the dealer do it.

How many of you still do the 3,000 mile oil change? Severe service vehicles excluded.
Click to expand...
I recycle old anti freeze at my friends shop , but we have a place that will take it also.

I used to be freakish about oil changes and change it as soon as it got looking dirty on the stick. But I am trying to be more normal now and accept that you dont need to change oil so often.
:D
I go 5 k miles or 6 months , what ever comes first . Thats what Toyota recommends.
 
It probably has very little to do with advanced engine technology, and more to do with advanced formulations of coolant. Coolant also lubricates the pump assembly and the coolant passageway which provides for an almost non-friction wear on the coolant itself, the block, hoses, etc. as well as preventing corrosion.

Wouldn't a coolant in San Diego (moderate temps year round) last longer than a coolant in Ohio that goes from summer temps to sub-freezing temps?

I know. TMI. It's only coolant!

My Fusion oil change interval is 7,500 and I get notified by Sync. :)
 
detailchick said:
Thanks everyone for your posts.

I did not know they made a pink and red coolant! Not sure but guessing mine would be the pink!

Sounds like it may be ok otherwise you would have problems with radiators and water pumps and other parts of the cooling system breaking down I would think.

Thats amazing it can go that many miles without problems.

I may change mine out after a few years anyway.
Click to expand...

What year is your Yota? You can buy the red one (not dilluted) at CarQuest. The pink is only sold at dealerships and it's 50/50 pre-dilluted.

Zerex recently came out with an Asian Vehicle formula (pre-mixed IIRC) that a lot of people swear that is Toyota red.
 
gdal said:
What year is your Yota? You can buy the red one (not dilluted) at CarQuest. The pink is only sold at dealerships and it's 50/50 pre-dilluted.

Zerex recently came out with an Asian Vehicle formula (pre-mixed IIRC) that a lot of people swear that is Toyota red.
Click to expand...
Its a 2010.

I didnt know you had to get the pink from Toyota .

Im not going to worry about it for a few more years .
 
Age can also effect it too. We had a 2000 Toyota Avalon with the Red coolant on it. It only had 34K on the coolant (70K on the motor) on it but was 7 years old since it was changed. Took it in for a check-up and they told us the coolant/anti-freeze was no longer "serviceable." It did look alot different than new, look and smell. Didn't worry about it a whole lot I knew we were gonna trade it in in a couple months.

I need to change it in my Frontier, but I'm waiting for the timing chain to implode on itself like all the rest of them do. They change it with the replacement :lol:
 
Nizmo said:
Age can also effect it too. We had a 2000 Toyota Avalon with the Red coolant on it. It only had 34K on the coolant (70K on the motor) on it but was 7 years old since it was changed. Took it in for a check-up and they told us the coolant/anti-freeze was no longer "serviceable." It did look alot different than new, look and smell. Didn't worry about it a whole lot I knew we were gonna trade it in in a couple months.

I need to change it in my Frontier, but I'm waiting for the timing chain to implode on itself like all the rest of them do. They change it with the replacement :lol:
Click to expand...

Thanks,thats good to know because I dont put a whole lot of miles on mine either. I probably should just test it in a few years with one of those testers Dan was telling me about.
 
Testing is always important.

10 years is not so long. I won't have 100,000 miles on my Fusion in 10 years since I only drive about 7,500 miles per year.
 
i spoke to Lexus mechanic and he recommend (well for a Lexus) which he said is the same as camry for that year model..he said the coolant should be flushed every 96,000kms (or approx 60,000miles)..
 
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