How do I check my Coolant?

Hi a common question that I hear is “How do I check my Coolant Level?” Sometimes referred to as “Radiator Fluid” or “Antifreeze”. Welcome to Mercie J Auto Care, where compassion and craftsmanship come together. I’m Rick Smith, master certified technician. Now there’s a couple of different systems, so checking it is different depending on the car you drive. Sometimes we have a cap on the radiator. However, this Toyota does not have one. Sometimes we have a cap on the engine, which is what this car has. Mainly, the two types of systems we have are an overflow tank, which is what this one is, so it just has a little flip cap. Then is we have a pressure cap like this on top of that, it’s called a surge tank. So when we check the radiator or the coolant level on a car, first I want you to do it when the engines cold. First thing in the morning, before it’s been started because we don’t want any injuries. We can look at the level in the overflow and it’s okay but on this car because it’s an overflow type system that may not indicate what’s actually in the car. So we would actually have to pull this cap off and check it here. If it is a surge tank system, which is the one with the pressure cap on it, then we would literally just look at the level in there. The level will rise a little bit after it’s warmed up and it will drop a little bit when it’s cold. If we’re checking in in the radiator or in the cap like this it should be pretty much right up at the top and then we should still have a little bit in the overflow as well. I hope that helps you understand how to check your system. You’re always free to stop by the shop and I’ll show you as well. Until next time, safe travels and blessings to you.