Many drivers carry out the procedure for replacing and topping up the coolant on their own. Sometimes a lot of questions arise: top up cold or hot, the choice of antifreeze, ways not to air the system. Parts are often made from non-identical materials, and changing antifreeze will negatively affect the function and integrity of the cooling system.
Manufacturers have come up with different topping methods. Liquids are poured into the radiator on the Hyundai Solaris, Ford Focus. The second method is through the expansion tank (Kia Rio, Renault Logan). From the general: the mixture is poured into the machine on a cold one.
Ways to add fluid while keeping the car are described further.
Antifreeze: is it possible to top up
For efficient operation, there must be a heat-removing fluid inside the system circuit. The coolant mixture contains a certain percentage of water. When working, it comes into contact with high temperatures evaporating. There are criteria when you need to add or completely change antifreeze.
If there is not enough antifreeze, it must be added, otherwise there is a threat to normal cooling, air locks may form. The working fluid gradually begins to change properties, losing active substances. Control the amount of antifreeze and top up on time. Make sure that the added fluid matches the standards already added to the tank.
How often do you need to add antifreeze
Car manufacturers give different service life of the coolant mixture. Topping up is carried out as it is used, since the boiling point evaporates the water component. Maintain the level of antifreeze, there is no clear time frame for filling.
Unforeseen circumstances may occur that determine how often the procedure should be performed. Imperceptible hose leak, cracks in the metal components of the car, radiator corrosion. With frequent topping up of antifreeze, inspect (the bright color of the mixture helps) the tightness of the system with a hot engine, where pressure is created.
Is it possible to add antifreeze of different colors
Adding liquids of different colors is undesirable, but acceptable. The color scale is not a strictly regulated norm. Each manufacturer awards their product with a color. For proper topping up, use the same antifreeze or carefully select another one by class and composition.
To rely on color differences, you need to consider the scale introduced by Volkswagen. In this list, each class gets its own coloring. G11 - traditional, or silicate coolants. Color - blue or green. G12, G12+, G12++ are made from organic acids. Such mixtures received colors of red, orange or lilac. G13 is a safe propylene glycol fluid. They are colored purple or yellow. Conclusion: do not rush to add red liquid - green composition.
Is it possible to fill in antifreeze of a different brand, but of the same color
There are no hard and fast standards. There is no guarantee that liquid of the same color as yours, but of a different brand, will be identical. Antifreeze from another manufacturer may be made on an incompatible basis, contain incompatible additives, which will damage the cooling system. After making sure that the solution poured into the car and the purchased solution are compatible, use a different brand of liquid without being tied to color. 
Is it possible to add distilled water to antifreeze
Substances are sold concentrated along with ready-made mixtures. Distilled water should be added to the concentrate, as it does not contain unwanted components (chlorine, fluorine, and others). Ordinary tap water forms scale on the walls of the system, which will worsen the heat transfer properties. Separated parts can clog the parts responsible for the movement of fluid along the contours, the machine will begin to boil.
Distillation removes harmful substances. Provided that the liquid level has dropped slightly, only water can be used. Remember that this affects the properties of the antifreeze that was previously filled. 
Is it possible to add antifreeze to antifreeze
The aggressive properties of antifreeze are very sensitive to other components, and what will happen after topping up is unpredictable. Possible crystal formation, corrosion of aluminum components, corrosion of hoses. There is a release of flakes of sediment, dangerous for moving parts and filters, neutralization of additives of poured antifreeze.
Conclusion - nothing can be added to antifreeze, with the exception of distilled water, but it lowers the degree of freezing. If you dilute antifreeze with water in a ratio of about 50/50, the engine will work, but mentally say goodbye to the pump and car thermostat. 
What antifreeze can be added if I forgot the brand of the old
When you need to add coolant, and data on the previous one is lost, it's best not to risk it. If you don’t know only the brand of the old one, it’s not so bad. It is permissible to fill in another identical class to an existing one. The first owner of the car from the salon needs to find information from the manufacturer. Worse, when the type of antifreeze is also unknown. It is better to flush and completely replace the coolant.
What antifreeze to fill in Hyundai Solaris
Motorists are interested in the question of how to replace the factory refrigerant in a Japanese car. In Hyundai Solaris from the factory, you need to fill in the green liquid CoolStream A-110 or Crown LLC A-110.
If the color of the old liquid or antifreeze corresponds to class G11, then the same must be poured into the car. On every car of 2012, 2013 and 2015, the G12 + class is used. With antifreeze G12 ++ (like Opel Astra J), you can only mix with G13.
What is the best antifreeze to fill in Renault Logan
The French cool the engines with their own yellow Renault Type D liquids. This antifreeze is suitable for 1.4/1.6/2 liter engines. The basis of the mixture is ethylene glycol, they belong to class G12. Mix the concentrate with distilled water, proportion 1:0.8. You don't need to use G12+. You need to add liquid to the expansion tank between the minimum mark and the maximum.
What antifreeze to fill in Kia Rio
Starting from the second generation, coolants of the G12 + class are poured into the car at the factory. Older foreign cars were filled with traditional green G11 coolant. For Kia 2013 - 2014, red mixtures with distilled water can be poured into the tank.
Topping up antifreeze in Kia Rio
A car of a Korean concern is obtained by topping up the coolant in the expansion tank. Add antifreeze on a cold engine, the liquid level should reach the Full mark.
- First, prepare the liquid in a clean bowl. We take one part of the distillate and the mixture (the proportions recommended in the instructions for the Kia Rio). Choose the right proportions for the correct operation and protection of the cooling system.
- We remove the cap of the expansion tank without touching the hose going to the radiator. There is a tube in the tank, pulling out which you can get a filler neck.
- We carry out topping up and return the hose to its place, close the plug on the neck, turn on the engine. Detailed description in the photo.
Topping up antifreeze cold or hot?
Replenish the liquid level is cold. When the engine is cold, the coolant does not lose capacity, if it is hot, the volume changes under pressure. Vapors from uncooled antifreeze can cause burns when the tank cap is opened (thermal and chemical). If the mixture is cold: the system is not pressurized and you can see how much mixture needs to be added.
It is an important component that is needed for the full existence of the car. Previously, antifreeze was used instead of antifreeze, but technical progress does not stand still and now each foreign car has its own. It is important for a car enthusiast to choose the right fluid.
The question is mainly of concern to beginners, but experienced motorists also have problems with how to add coolant. Therefore, in this article we will describe an algorithm of actions, when considering which you will never have problems with adding antifreeze.
Action algorithm:
- Before adding antifreeze, you need to make sure that it is available and that it is suitable for your car.
- Antifreeze is added only if the level of antifreeze is below the minimum mark.
- In order to carry out the following steps, you must have antifreeze itself and clean water with you.
Do not forget that you can not pour cold water into a hot engine!
Antifreeze is not poured in its pure form, but in proportion with water. The proportion can be 1 part and one part 1/1 distilled water.
- It is advisable to have gloves with you in order not to get your hands dirty. If you pour antifreeze at a gas station, you can take gloves there. But every self-respecting car owner should always have gloves in the trunk.
- Open the hood. If you have recently purchased a car and do not know how the hood opens, then you should refer to the operating instructions for your car.
- Find the reservoir where the coolant is poured, if you don’t know, then again, look at the car’s operating instructions.
- Rotate the barrel lid one turn to release the pressure and then completely unscrew the lid.
- Do not unscrew the cover if the engine is overheated, as you can burn your hands.
- In order to fill in antifreeze, you must select the average value between the maximum and minimum marks.
- When the antifreeze is poured, then we twist the barrel lid back.
- After all of the above, start the car and check the coolant level.
And finally, if you follow all the rules, then the question is how
Every car needs a fluid to keep its engine cool. Car owners will one day see that the amount of antifreeze has dropped to min. What to do, how to add antifreeze? You can go to the service station, or you can top it up yourself. This topic is relevant for both beginners and experienced motorists.
be careful
Do not rush to pour coolant when the engine is still hot. The consequences of this action are damage to the cylinder block. Make sure the engine is cold before adding coolant.. If it is necessary to replenish the level of the product, and it is not possible to cool the engine, do it when it is warm.
Topping up antifreeze should be done with a liquid of the same brand. In order for the cooling of the system to be of high quality and correct, it is necessary to add antifreeze in combination with distilled water. We correlate liquids 1:1.
Mixing different coolants can lead to premature repairs. In progress try not to spill liquid on other parts, which may damage them. In case of contact, wipe the surface.
If the coolant level is often at the min mark, do not rush to think about how to add antifreeze. Contact a service station or independently check the tightness of the cooling system.
How to do it yourself
In order not to contact the service station workers, you can find out how to properly add antifreeze. Follow the rules that are written above and follow the following points.
- Wrap your hand with a rag (put on gloves) and remove the expansion tank cap. Reduce the pressure by turning the cap one turn. As soon as it falls, completely remove the cover.
- Add liquid to the tank to an average level.
- We start the engine of the car. We give time to work. We pay attention to how much antifreeze is available. If necessary, fill the tank.
- Antifreeze should be at the level of the lower end of the radiator filler neck.
- We continue to add liquid. We do this carefully, without spilling.
- We close the lid.
To perform this procedure, you must first prepare the cooler itself, distilled water, with which you will dilute the cooler, a rag (gloves) and an expansion tank.
Water water discord
Some car owners believe that in the summer it is possible to drive only water into the tank. This is an erroneous opinion.
Distilled water can be diluted with antifreeze, but in its pure form, water will lead to rapid wear of parts. After using the water, you will have to spend money on flushing the system from scale. But the cooler includes various necessary components that ensure correct operation.
To maintain the temperature of a running engine, the driver needs to know how to add and fill antifreeze into the engine cooling system (ODS) correctly.
SOD is designed to store coolant (coolant) and pump it through the engine cooling jacket, a large radiator and its smaller counterpart, which is used to heat the passenger compartment. If the level of antifreeze or antifreeze is insufficient, the power unit will overheat, and air jams will form in the SOD.
Depending on the characteristics of the fluid, it may be used for the time specified by the manufacturer and then must be replaced. Topping up should be carried out as necessary, regularly monitoring the fluid level in the system.
The presence of certain additives in the coolant, as often indicated by the color of the composition, prevents the development of corrosive processes and the formation of scale. It is important to remember that adding antifreeze to antifreeze and vice versa is prohibited, as this will lead to undesirable chemical reactions, the appearance of sediment and a deterioration in the characteristics of the liquid.
When buying antifreeze, keep in mind that some manufacturers tint their product for marketing purposes.
Coolant replacement
The refrigerant must be replaced if it has worked out the prescribed period, and also if the car is serviced after active operation in summer or winter.
To properly fill the antifreeze into the cooling system, it is recommended that you first completely remove the old liquid, including from the heating system, by setting the stove regulator to the maximum. The location of the car on a slope with the front part of the body up will help to make the process more efficient. Next, you need to open the expansion tank and the radiator cap. Then unscrew the plugs on the cylinder block and radiator and drain the coolant.
If the old coolant performed its function properly, it is worth filling in the same one. Before this, it is advisable to flush the cooling system with water, preferably distilled, allowing the motor to pump it through all the pipes and radiators, warming it up to a temperature at which the valve lets the liquid flow in a large circle.
If the coolant is seriously contaminated, for example, after using sealants, plain water, or mixing antifreezes with radically different flushing compounds, you will need to use a special flushing agent, after which the system must be cleaned with distilled water. After that, you can fill the system with new antifreeze.
You can get rid of excess air after filling the coolant by bleeding it through the pipe in the upper part of the cylinder block. If necessary, the expansion tank is additionally filled with antifreeze to a normal level.
How to add refrigerant
Sometimes you just need to add coolant. In this case, it is extremely important to use a coolant with the same composition, preferably from the same manufacturer. It is better to do this on a cold or slightly cooled engine. You need to open the system covers, and then fill the radiator almost to capacity. If the coolant level was too low and air pockets formed in the system, you will need to let the engine run for several minutes with the covers open to bleed excess pressure.
In the summer heat, distilled water can be added to antifreeze. It is not recommended to mix ordinary water, antifreeze or antifreeze with each other. If this could not be avoided, you will have to flush the system in the near future and fill in new coolant.
Antifreeze level control
For this, several methods are used:
- Observation of the indicator on the instrument panel.
- Monitoring the coolant level directly in the expansion tank.
Under normal operating conditions, this should be done once a month and always before a long journey. If an overheating signal appears on the parting panel on the way, then this problem sometimes occurs due to an insufficient level of antifreeze in the system. In winter, this can be indicated by slow warming up and poor-quality operation of the stove.
Having noticed the non-standard behavior of the power unit regarding the temperature regime of its operation, you need to visit the service station to diagnose the system, since operation during overheating is fraught with deformation of many parts of the internal combustion engine. Understanding how to properly fill and top up antifreeze in the cooling system will help the driver protect the engine from overheating.
The normal functioning of the car is impossible without coolant. And we will provide explanations of what it is, where to fill in antifreeze, a photo of this process and other useful information later in the article.
What is antifreeze
Antifreeze is a special fluid designed for the car's cooling system. The peculiarity of this substance is that it does not freeze even at the lowest temperature. This effect becomes possible due to the special composition of the liquid - ethylene glycol and water, which together form a dihydric alcohol. The composition of antifreeze, in addition, includes the so-called inhibitors - substances due to which the corrosion process is significantly slowed down.
As a rule, manufacturers of the liquid in question indicate its freezing temperature on the package (for example, OZH-30 or Tosol-50, etc.). That is why each individual car has its own type. The most famous of them is "Tosol". There is a common misconception that this substance is not antifreeze and is intended for older car models. This, of course, is not true.
The first thing worth noting here is that antifreeze must be changed every 70-80 thousand kilometers. However, most people in Russia do not travel much at all, and such figures are only accumulated in ten years. Therefore, a complete renewal of antifreeze must be carried out every 2 years. At the same time, it is worth remembering about various additional factors: great age, not the best technical condition of the car - all this indicates that it is worth replacing the coolant as often as possible. You also need to change the antifreeze:
- if the liquid has darkened;
- if the engine needs a major overhaul;
- if there is a leak in the cooling system.
Drain antifreeze
Before turning to the question of where to fill in antifreeze, you need to talk about how to properly drain it. By the way, removing unnecessary coolant residues is much more difficult than pouring this same liquid:
- First you need to find a flat surface to park the car. If the machine is tilted, the risk that the liquid simply cannot be seen will increase significantly.
- Next, you need to substitute the container under the place where the antifreeze will flow out. After that, the drain taps in the system open (on some machines there are special pipes that will have to be removed). This must be done very carefully, because the coolant may begin to pour out in an uncontrolled flow.
- After all the antifreeze has evenly poured out, it is necessary to close the faucet or tighten the pipe.
Thus, there is nothing particularly difficult in pouring antifreeze. Where to fill in the coolant and how to do it, we will tell further.
antifreeze bay
How to fill in antifreeze? Where should it be poured? Experienced drivers who already have some experience have long known the answer to this question. Moreover, they do not see anything complicated in draining and filling the coolant.
- It is necessary to unscrew the cap of the expansion tank.
- A special ruler is inserted into the hole of this tank.
- Only after that, calmly and without sudden movements, you need to pour the coolant inside. This must be done strictly according to the established ruler - otherwise the antifreeze will spill.
- Do not pour too quickly and too much - in this case, an air lock may form. This plug will not give anything good, only the poor functioning of the cooling system in the future. If the expansion tank has the designations "maximum" and "minimum", then you need to navigate by them.
- After the liquid is filled, you need to tightly, but carefully close the tank lid.
- Next, you need to turn on the engine. It will take about 10 minutes to monitor the condition of the antifreeze. Then you need to add it to the final mark.
Only after that all work with the replacement of the coolant will be completed.
Errors when filling antifreeze
Novice car owners often make mistakes when draining or pouring coolant into the car. This is usually due to inexperience or negligence. We will tell you about the most common such mistakes.
The most dangerous thing to do when pouring antifreeze is to turn on the engine beforehand. In no case should you unscrew the cap of the expansion tank with the car engine running. This can lead to the most unpleasant consequences, such as burns on the hands and face. The fact is that when the engine is turned on, the liquid begins to splash strongly, and its temperature is very high.
The next common mistake for beginners is to fill in new coolant without draining the old one. Needless to say, how stupid and simply dangerous this is. Banal laziness can lead to the most unpleasant consequences. Of course, the drain and the bay must be carried out entirely.
Novice drivers make many other mistakes. Here and the lack of checking the level of coolant, and using it for a car of a different brand, etc. Always and in everything related to cars, you need to be very careful and careful. It is always necessary to find out where antifreeze is poured in a car and which coolant is better to choose from professionals and specialists.
Replacing antifreeze on different cars
Renault Logan, Ford Focus, Lada Vesta or Hyundai Solaris - where to fill antifreeze on different car brands, and most importantly, how to do it?
This question cannot be answered unambiguously. There are really a lot of car models, and the type of coolant replacement can sometimes vary slightly. However, one piece of advice is worth giving.
All questions regarding the replacement of something or the functioning of some individual elements must be agreed only with the sellers or companies where the machine was purchased. Before buying, be sure to clarify how and where to fill in antifreeze. Hyundai, Renault, Mazda and many other brands differ little from each other on the issue under consideration, but the details should be specified without fail.
Do I need a car service to replace antifreeze?
In most cases, contacting a technical service center to change the coolant is not a necessary procedure.
However, if the owner of the car does not want to deal with the contents of the hood, or simply does not have time, you can contact a car service. Many do not want to delve into issues related to car maintenance at all. They are not at all interested in why and where to fill in antifreeze.
"Toyota Corolla" or, for example, "Ford Fusion" service in a car service will not be so expensive. The average price for changing antifreeze in Russia is 500-800 rubles. In addition, the car service will do everything extremely professionally and produce high-quality flushing.
