With the cold weather approaching checking your vehicle’s antifreeze level is a simple and inexpensive way to make sure your car won’t leave you stranded. Antifreeze is important in the winter months because it is used to protect the engine from freezing in cold weather. It also acts as the key agent in providing heat inside the car’s cabin.

It takes just a few minutes of your time to check but could save you a lot of money and hassle!

In most cars, the coolant tank will have a maximum and a minimum mark on the exterior. More importantly your vehicle’s coolant tank is made of a transparent material so that you don’t have to remove the cap to check it. The coolant should be between the maximum and minimum marks.

If you notice that your vehicle’s coolant level has dropped below or close to the minimum mark you will need to top it up. Make sure that you’re using the correct type (check out our previous blog here on tips for choosing Antifreeze)

Make sure that the car’s engine is cold.

When you’re sure your car’s engine is cold you then need to open the tank’s cap. There might be some residual pressure in there so you might hear a little hiss. You’d then take the container with the suitable anti-freeze mix in it, using a funnel if needed and top your vehicle’s coolant level up until it reaches the maximum mark making sure not to overfill it. Going past this mark means you’ve taken away some of the room the coolant needs to expand as it’s an expansion tank.

If you have any questions on car maintenance drop into Nolan Motors to chat with one of our experts.