Colour of coolant / antifreeze?

Korkyb

Hi all

Just gone to top up my daughters antifreeze / coolant & am a bit confused (nothing new there).

I have a Ford Mondeo (2015 2.0 diesel) & the coolant I have for that car (Ford coolant bought from a Ford dealer) is yellow.

Daughters car is a Ford Fiesta (2013 1.2 petrol) and her coolant appears to be orangy / red.

Are they the same? / can I top up her car with my yellow coolant?

Thanks for any advice!!

facade

The yellow Ford coolant is HOAT (hybrid organic acid technology) and the pink is probably after-market OAT (organic acid technology)- but the dye is not a 100% guarantee of type.


Anyway, despite both having OAT in the name, you are not supposed to mix them (they will react together and produce some deadly chemical which corrodes the inside of the engine).


If it is only half a teacup or so, plain water would do, any more and you might dilute the antifreeze enough to cause a problem. Make sure plain water mixes with the antifreeze though before frost gets to it.


You can always get a bottle of Prestone, that is supposed to be specially formulated to mix with anything.


EDIT: Tesco sell prestone ready mixed antifreeze for £6 a litre or £14 for 4 litres- be careful not to get prestone screenwash, in identical coloured and sized containers :eek: