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Finch Nissan's Service Tips & Tricks

An often-asked question our expert mechanics get is “what is coolant?”. It’s a liquid that helps transfer the head across your engine to regulate temperature so it doesn’t overheat. That’s why making sure your coolant is always full is very important. For anyone unsure of how to do this, we’ve set up a very simple guide for how to check your coolant levels. If you have any issues you can always bring your vehicle in to our experts to take a look as well.

What to Look for

If you open the hood of your car, the reservoir for your coolant will be on your radiator. It should be labelled, but if it isn’t don’t worry. Just open your owner’s manual, it will be in there. Check the markings along the side, if the coolant is below the “full” line, then you should remove your radiator cap and fill it up with a mixture that is 50% coolant and 50% water. Just a reminder, many coolants are premixed with water, so be sure to double-check before you pour.

While you’re under the hood, you should also inspect the hoses extending from the radiator to ensure that there aren’t any leaks. Now that you have answers to the question, “what is coolant?” and know how to check your coolant levels, let’s take a look at the signs that you should take your vehicle into our garage.

When to See a Service Technician

In terms of consistency, your coolant should be thinner than oil and thicker than water. If your coolant appears “mucky” or “sludgy,” take your car in immediately. This indicates a probable leak in a gasket. If all of your coolant leaks out, your engine will overheat, in which case, you can expect to buy a new car—not to mention, it isn’t safe to drive when you’re at risk of catastrophic engine failure.

Get More Service Tips from Finch Nissan!

Now you know how to check your coolant levels and you know what coolant is. If you have any more questions, we’re happy to answer them for you, and we can always handle this service if you don’t feel up to it yourself. You don’t even need to schedule an appointment as our express service team can handle this in a jiff. If you suspect you’re having more holistic radiator issues, be sure to get in touch with our parts department.