Williamsburg Auto Repair

Coolant color is one of those things that look simple but can turn confusing fast. You pop the hood, see green or orange or pink in the reservoir, and you assume color tells you exactly what to buy. Sometimes it does. A lot of the time, it doesn’t, because dye color is not a universal standard across all brands. What actually matters is the coolant chemistry your engine is designed to use, not just the shade you see. Why Coolant Comes In Different Colors Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and corrosion-inhibiting additives. Those additives protect the radiator, water pump, heater core, and the small passages inside the engine from corrosion and buildup. Manufacturers use different additive packages, and companies dye them different colors to help identify them. The problem is that color is not regulated. One brand’s orange can be another brand’s yellowish-orange. One brand’s pink can be another brand’s purple. That means you should tre ... read more