I had my 30k mile service today on my 02 ES. When asked what was going to be done, the service manager rattled off a bunch of things. In them, he included coolant system flush and refill. I chirped in with, "I thought it was long life coolant and I had until 60k or 5 years?"

Interestingly enough, he said that they are seeing to many premature coolant problems with the long life stuff. Enough to believe that it ain't so long life. He also stated that this was a problem reported by other car manufacturers, too. (I have seen some reports on the web.) They find that it is easier and safer in the long run to flush and fill the "long life coolant" every 30k or 3 years.

This is the first time I have ever had the long life stuff. My gut feeling was to flush it anyways.

steviej

 

I've been using Dex-Cool since it appeared and even though they state 5 years, I've always changed it after 2 because I changed the thermostat. With that much coming out of the top half, it was just easier to drain it all and be fresh. IMO Considering if there were any cooling problems, the cost is minscule compared to a head gasket, warped head and or being stranded in some desolate place.

Kinda like batteries that are suppsed to last X years...nearly everyone I've had dies about one year before the stated time.

 

I just did a coolant flush and I just bought the Toyota coolant from the Lexus dealer. Is that stuff pretty good? The coolant that was in my car before I changed it was yellow and murky and had little chunks in it. So I would go ahead and have it changed so that doesn't happen to you.

 

I heard the same thing from Chevy a long time ago. Turns out a year after they started using the long life coolant they started getting a lot of cars back that had their entire cooling systems rotted out. A friend of mine who worked for Chevy suggested switching to the green stuff in my Camaro. I later found out that the problem was actually with the radiator caps. Apparently they were all so cheap that they didn't hold their pressure and thus allowed air to enter the cooling system (air + water = rust). GM quality at its finest.

 

Leets, yes, my 17-yr-old Honda's coolant system and antifreeze is original and well's far as I can tell. Heater works too.

 

you mean to say that you have had the same anitfreeze in there for 17 years??? Out of curiosity, what color is it after 17 years,......black?

steviej

 

Stevie, sorry I wasn't clear on that at all. I meant that all the euipment is original - hoses/radiator, etc. the coolant was changed regularly with standard AF.

 

FYI:

Lexus just starting putting SLLC (Super Long Life Coolant) in all of their 04 models. It's also premixed, first scheduled change is 100K. Maybe you should try it!

Part number: SLLC Coolant 08889-80070 $???

DD

 

DD, I give Lexus kudos for continuously upgrading its equipment - even when it will mean less service revenue.

Quality is always better; Deming I think showed that decades back.

On my car I'd still change the coolant fluids out at 50k or so, just to ensure my baby's cooled off.