So, I have been checking into which kind of coolant would be acceptable to put into the RX. We all know that the stuff from the Toyota or Lexus dealer is fine, but is there an alternative? What if you are out on the road, and need to top off? It looks like you should stay away from, anything containing 2-EHA, because it eats silicone. This includes the Prestone 50/50 that is supposedly good to use in all vehicles. I'm not positive that Lexus uses silicon in any of its seals or gaskets, but if it does, it could be bad news. I also came across this article:

http://mastertechmag.com/pdf/2006/no...antifreeze.pdf

 

Using anything but factory specified coolant: reward - save a few bucks? Risk - unknown. Factory all the way on this one for me.

 

I have seen Toyota coolant in normal auto parts stores. It is pretty easy to find. Worst case, use whatever is available and then repair/flush once you get home.

 

I would use distilled water if you dont have anything in hand....

 

I was going to say the same thing until I noticed he lived in MI .

 

Just had my 08 (90K miles) done before the Christmas's 2K miles trip.
2 gallon of Toyota Long Life at Amazon = $50, my mechanic charged labor $65. Total $115.
Pay a few bucks more on factory coolant, but one less thing to worry about.

 

Oops, I meant "Super Long life" which is already diluted. Not the Long Life.