If a wire is loose, worn-out, or shorted out, it can make the light come on without any issue. The above issues may need to drain the coolant fluid inside the system and diagnose the problem. Let professional service handle this. It is advisable NOT to drive with the low coolant warning light on even though you can potentially do this for a short time.
Driving when the coolant is low can cause your engine to get too hot, and this can result in trouble for your journey, vehicle, and yourself. So, what should you do when the low coolant light is on? Tip: In desperate situations, long journeys, and warm temperatures, you can top up the coolant with distilled water if the coolant level is below standard.
This will help take your car to the closest shop or home. Many new cars have a detection facility that automatically shuts down the car engine to prevent possible damages.
Usually, you can drive your car for some time when the coolant level is low and the warning light comes on. However, the coolant level often determines how long you can run your car. Confirm if there is a low coolant or no coolant. Then, if there is coolant, how low is it? You can still drive your car for an hour if the coolant level is low but it is above the minimum. However, if the coolant is below the minimum, use distilled water to top it. This will allow you to drive your car for an hour and take it to the nearest shop service.
According to an experiment done by a group of mechanics, a car can be driven 54 minutes without coolant before it dies.
Even if you run your car for a few moments without coolant, it can cause severe damage to your engine. The best bet is to call a local shop or repair service. You can use distilled water instead of coolant to run the engine around 4 miles at a drive speed under 45mhp. Remember, this is a temporary solution to get you home or to the nearest local repair shop. Note : Check the coolant level of your vehicle frequently and do a general checkup of the engine and other parts before a long journey.
If you drive your car when it runs out of coolant, there is not always a good outcome. You can experience:. If your car has an automatic cut-off feature, the engine will stop automatically when heating up to prevent any damage from low coolant conditions. You will have to wait until the engine cools down before the engine starts again.
Note that driving with no coolant can lead to pricey repair bills and irreparable and permanent damage. The repair costs to fix a low coolant light problem vary with the causes. Autoblog is partnering with YourMechanic to bring many of the repair and maintenance services you need right to you. Get service at your home or office 7 days a week with fair and transparent pricing.
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If your car is past due for a coolant change, or if your low coolant light comes on , there is a good chance that your cooling system has corroded. Usually you check if your coolant is bad before even bringing it in for a flush by extracting some of the existing coolant with a baster and examining it. If there is evidence of corrosion or gunk build up, you are in need of a full-service flushing. When performing routine maintenance on your vehicle, we always suggest to check coolant level.
In doing so, you can essentially save yourself money by negating the need for a full-service flush. As obvious and redundant as this sounds, many individuals purchase the incorrect type of coolant and are forced to pay for a full-service flush. When you are at the local parts shop to purchase the correct coolant, you will also need to purchase a drain cock.
The drain cock is a part used to extract liquid from the lowest part of the tank, as any remaining coolant left behind will have a chance to corrupt the new coolant poured into the tank. The proper car care will always make the differences. The next step in the process will most certainly become the part where most will disassociate themselves from the repair, but for those inclined enough to proceed you will need to go underneath the car.
In perpetration to drain the car you will need to rise, and safely support, the front end of your vehicle with a car jack, and then prop your vehicle on jack stands to ensure stability. At this point you will place a large drain pan a large bowl will work in place of a drain pan under the radiator cap.
Some radiators may not have a cap, in this case you would just find and remove the pressure cap typically located next to the coolant tank. Then proceed to open the draincock and drain the radiator. Once all the fluid is drained from the coolant tank and the draincock is out, loosen the lower radiator hose clamp and disconnect the hose from the engine to drain the rest of the coolant.
You may need to remove clamps during the process, in this case slip-joint pliers are the best tool to remove clamps, especially spring-loaded clamps. This will then empty out the rest of the coolant and provide you the ability to add new coolant.
Now we are onto filling the coolant tank. When performing this procedure leave the car raised while you refill the radiator to reduce the possibility of air pockets forming in the engine.
Mix the anti-freeze coolant and water thoroughly in a clean bucket in order to prevent mineral deposits on internal engine and radiator surfaces. When mixing the coolant with water always use distilled water —never tap water, as it may cause mineralization to the coolant.
Slowly fill the radiator or coolant tank with fresh coolant until the coolant is one-inch below the neck of the radiator, or a few inches below the full mark on the coolant tank. The last steps of this process are to check for any leaks, shut off the engine, install the cap, lower the car, and go for a drive.
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