Answers to your car questions

QUESTION

I understand that you receive many questions and can’t get to them all so I’m resubmitting a question that I’ve asked you before and haven’t been able to find a suitable answer to. It’s regarding the various proprietary engine coolants. I’ve long known about GM’s Dexcool (red) but until recently was unaware that Ford also has their own coolant (orange coloured). I now own a Ford product and recently needed to add coolant. I was only able to find a “gold” coolant marked on the label for Ford vehicles. I was also surprised to see so many variants based on vehicle manufacturers, besides Ford, GM and Chrysler. There are also different coolants for Japanese and Korean imports as well as a number of European imports. Of course they all cost significantly more than the standard Prestone (yellow/green) anti-freeze on which the label states that it’s suitable for all makes and models and can be mixed with any colour coolant. In my online searches, I’ve read that mixing red or orange with yellow or green coolants will produce a gel that will cause engine overheating. Do you think this is correct and what could be some implications if any, of mixing Prestone with other proprietary coolants and in my case, the gold coloured coolant? Thank you from a dedicated reader,

David from Hamilton

ANSWER

Both green and orange coloured antifreeze are ethylene glycol-based. The main difference is that they contain different corrosion ingredients and/or additives. The orange antifreeze contains organic acids while the green antifreeze has very different additives. It is a known fact that the green and orange coolants do not mix because when mixed, the flow of the antifreeze is restricted. The different chemicals in the antifreeze will cause thickening of the antifreeze to the point that it will not flow properly, which in turn will cause the engine to overheat.

You are correct that Prestone coolant antifreeze, as well as other coolant antifreeze brands, do however say that their antifreeze is manufactured to work with any other coolant and can be mixed with any other colour of coolants and will not obstruct the coolant system. I am certainly not recommending that you use any other type of antifreeze that is different than what the manufacturer recommends, especially during warranty time. It is always wise to check your owner’s manual for the correct fluid and read the label on any replacement coolant carefully to ensure that it is compatible with the manufacturer’s required specifications. I always recommend that if you purchase a used car and are not certain as to what the previous owner has used or added to your vehicle’s coolant system, then the prudent thing to do, in order to protect your vehicle, is to have your vehicle’s entire cooling system flushed and to use the coolant recommended by the manufacturer.

QUESTION

You helped me many years ago when I got myself into trouble when purchasing a used car. I took your recommendation this time to make sure that a mechanic checked over the car before I took procession of it. I did that but I did not get home before the wipers were needed and they were not working. I could not take the car back that day but I did so two days later and the used car dealer told me that the wipers were working when the mechanic checked them so it does not fall under the mechanical safety. I thought that a mechanical safety was a thirty-six day warranty that the car would be in good condition. Barbara from Guelph

ANSWER

The misunderstanding about the mechanical safety standards certificate is that people think that it is a guarantee and it is not. It states that, at the time of the mechanical safety all safety related items on the mechanical safety certificate were in good order. Say for example ,that you checked out your new used car headlights before you drove the car off the lot and all were working but before you arrived home, one of the headlights went out. That, for example, would not be a mechanical safety gone wrong and you would have to replace the headlight yourself. If, however, within the thirty-six days you found out that your brakes were in need of replacement and it was found that the mechanic erred in properly inspecting the brakes, then the ministry would get involved and the mechanic could loose his or her mechanical licence along with the garage losing its ability to do mechanical safeties. This scenario still does not get your brakes fixed but most garages will step up to the plate and resolve the situation but there isn’t any guarantee that they will. If the seller refuses to do the necessary repairs, when they actually fall under the safety standards certificate, do not get the car fixed until you have notified the MTO and or OMVIC

Barbara’s problem has been resolved. I asked the used car dealer to take a look at the car to see why the wipers were not working. The used car dealer found that a fuse had blown and when they replaced it, it blew again. Long story short is that the mechanic found that the cigarette lighter, which was an after market installation, had been wired into the wiper fuse. The cigarette lighter, which had shorted out when pressed in, had shorted out the wiper motor power fuse. To make Barbara happy, the used car dealer rewired the cigarette lighter to its own fuse and then replaced the lighter with a working one. Rather than getting the cigarette lighter to work, I would have tried to persuade her from smoking in the car but that is just an opinion from a non-smoker. To my readers: If possible, it would be appreciated if your emails would indicate the town, city or village that you live in. Please be advised that not all emails can be answered. Send your questions (be sure to include your address) by email to:: dennis. osullivan@cogeco.ca