Engine coolant is a crucial component in your car’s engine system, as it helps regulate the engine’s temperature and prevents overheating. The coolant is a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, which is dyed to differentiate one from the other. Toyota, like other car manufacturers, uses a specific coolant type and color for different years and models.
What Color Coolant Does Toyota Use?
Toyota uses red and pinkish color coolants that are ethylene glycol-based and long-lasting. Older Toyota models use Long Life Red, while newer models use Super Long Life Pink.
Toyota Pink Super Long Life Coolant
The Super Long Life Pink Toyota coolant has different ingredients such as Potassium Hydroxide, Diethylene glycol, Ethylene glycol, Water, and Sebacic Acid. This coolant from the factory lasts up to 10 years, after which you change the coolant every 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Toyota Red Long Life Coolant
The Toyota Red Long Life is the best coolant for older Toyota model vehicles. The ingredients include Water, Diethylene glycol, Ethylene glycol, Hydrated inorganic salt, and Organic acid salt. The Red’s long life lasts 30,000 miles or 2 years.
How Much Coolant Does a Toyota Need?
Every Toyota year and model vehicle requires a certain amount of coolant. Always check your owner’s manual to see how much coolant your car takes. On average, most Toyota cars use 5.5QT to 7.6QT of coolant. Toyota vehicles like Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia may use more coolant.
What Happens If I Drive My Toyota Without Coolant?
Running out of coolant is not a good idea, as any car, including Toyota, running without coolant will stop functioning in minutes. If your Toyota runs out of coolant, it means there’s nothing to regulate the engine temperature, which will lead to engine overheating. The temperature gauge will climb to the red zone, indicating an issue in the cooling system. Steam from the hood, a heater that stops working, and engine damage are other consequences of driving without engine coolant.
How Do I Tell If I Need to Flush the Coolant in My Toyota?
The common signs that you need to flush your Toyota engine coolant are an engine warning light, Heater not working, Coolant leaking from the engine when running, Grinding noise in the engine, Rust in your coolant, Steam coming from the radiator or hood, and The temperature gauge traveled to the red zone with the engine on for a few minutes.
When Should I Get My Toyota Coolant Changed?
If you have the Red Long Life coolant, change the coolant every 30,000 miles or 2 years. But if you have the Pink Super Long Life coolant from the factory, change it every 100,000 miles or 10 years. After that, the subsequent coolant change is every 60,000 miles or 5 years.
Does it Matter What Color of Coolant I Use?
It is not recommended to use color as an indicator to know what coolant to put in your vehicle, as this is not a reliable way of knowing what coolant your car needs. Instead, check your vehicle owner’s booklet to know what coolant the manufacturer recommends for your specific vehicle.
Final Words
Driving without engine coolant is a surefire way of letting your car overheat within minutes. Toyota engine coolant has a variety of distinguishable colors, but that is not a reliable indicator of the suitable coolant to put into your Toyota engine. To know the best coolant to use in a Toyota, check your owner’s booklet and see what the manufacturer recommends.
