Question about coolant

[BWZ]

I'm very bad with cars, so forgive me. I own a 2017 EX Hatchback. I decided to check my coolant level and saw that it was low (picture below). I have questions.

1. What type of coolant do I need? I swear I got two different answers when I tried to do my own research
2. Is it safe to drive? It's about 20 minutes to get to the auto part store, so 40 min total to get there and back. I can drive a different vehicle if it's not smart
3. Does this mean I have a small leak? If so I'll definitely be taking it in

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[latole]

1- I don't know. Good auto parts will know.
2- Yes, if not sure don't use A/C. Adjust for maximum heating . It help to keep the engine coller
3-I don't know. I'll fill up with coolant and check level each week. If level change I'll see a good mechanic to find the leak.

 

[REBELXSi]

It's fine. That is the over flow tank. If you want to top it off, and you should, eventually, just go honda and buy coolant.

When you top it off, check every so often. You shoudn't be losing coolant very quickly. Make sure the cap is sealed correctly.
You also never mentioned mileage.

 

[latole]

On my 2016 coolant level is between minimum arrow and maximum arrow.

BWZ are you sure level was at maximum before ? When car was new ? Or you never check it ?

 

[Snmtazz70]

Keep an eye on it, if you losing coolant you should smell it for sure. Use the Honda OEM coolant. Amazon sells it.

 

[BWZ]

Thanks for your responses. The mileage is about 16,500. Purchased in late January, have only put 600 miles on it. I never checked the level when I first got it.

I ordered the Honda Type 2 coolant on Amazon which is getting here on Sunday. Also ordered a funnel. Yay. New questions:

1. I'll be waiting until the engine is cold and filling it to around the max line, correct?
2. Is there an easy way to look at or smell my engine for coolant? There's so much going on in the engine, not sure I'd spot anything properly
3. I noticed a lot of past posts mention how dealerships don't fill them properly. I got mine from CarMax. Could this have been the issue?
4. I wanted to take it in just for a general check on things anyway (I have the MaxCare thing through CarMax with a $50 deductible). Should I take it in for a general checkup and mention the leak? Or should I specifically bring it somewhere to check for a leak? Wasn't sure if these things would be done together or if a leak check is something more substantial/separate from the regular 'we check your fluid levels and overall health'

 

[Snmtazz70]

For $50.00 I would have them look at it. It's a distinct burning overheating smell. Should be cold when filling, system is under pressure when on and it will look empty with engine running until it's off again.

 

[tacthecat]

You're fine - only worry is if the coolant "overflow" tank is empty. If you want to add coolant you can use any major brand of non-silicate coolant anti-freeze. They even sell it pre-mixed 50/50 which is good down to -35 degrees F.
You could look in the Owner's Manual and find all of this info. PS - never open the reserve tank cap unless the engine is stone cold. Even if the reserve tank is very low the radiator will refill the next time the engine goes thru a cold-hot-cold cycle or two. (edit (I'm old school)- the 2019- models don't have an overflow tank or a radiator cap!)

 

[TriangleHeat]

I'm very bad with cars, so forgive me. I own a 2017 EX Hatchback. I decided to check my coolant level and saw that it was low (picture below). I have questions.

1. What type of coolant do I need? I swear I got two different answers when I tried to do my own research
2. Is it safe to drive? It's about 20 minutes to get to the auto part store, so 40 min total to get there and back. I can drive a different vehicle if it's not smart
3. Does this mean I have a small leak? If so I'll definitely be taking it in

1. If it's a new Honda with type 2 blue in there, only put type 2, do not pollute it with anything else, no amount of money savings is worth putting some generic stuff in there. Once you mix it, there's no unmixing it.
2. Yes it is safe to drive, not sure if that level was shown hot or cold but that level if cold, goes higher when the engine is warmed up anyway, the coolant expands and the level goes higher. I've also seen people drive on bone dry reservoirs too without issue. The reservoir connects to the top of the radiator's plastic upper tank, you can think of it as an extension of that top tank on the radiator. If the reservoir is empty, the level could still be at the top of the plastic tank on the actual radiator and above the radiator hoses which is fine. If it starts dropping lower though is when you have issues. Air at the very top tip of the plastic tank is fine and as low as anyone can go. You're not at danger zone yet, danger zone is when the reservoir is completely empty.
3. Maybe but likely normal. As the coolant expands in the cooling system, it's eventually going to increase in the reservoir since that's the only place the expanded coolant has to go, it has a large amount of air at the top of the Max line and air can be compressed. As the coolant expands and compresses that air, the pressure against the radiator cap increases until it exceeds rated pressure, opens and the excess air pressure is dumped out of the vent hose on the reservoir. When the excess air is dumped out, some coolant that evaporated into hot vapor in the tank is going to dump with it. You lose small amounts of coolant over time this way. When the system cools and the pressure reduces, the coolant shrinks, the pressure in the reservoir becomes negative (a vacuum forms) which opens the pintle on the cap in the opposite direction, drawing engine bay air in through the hose. As part of this natural heating-cooling, expanding-shrinking cycle you're losing coolant over time due to evaporation.

 

[TriangleHeat]

Thanks for your responses. The mileage is about 16,500. Purchased in late January, have only put 600 miles on it. I never checked the level when I first got it.

I ordered the Honda Type 2 coolant on Amazon which is getting here on Sunday. Also ordered a funnel. Yay. New questions:

1. I'll be waiting until the engine is cold and filling it to around the max line, correct?
2. Is there an easy way to look at or smell my engine for coolant? There's so much going on in the engine, not sure I'd spot anything properly
3. I noticed a lot of past posts mention how dealerships don't fill them properly. I got mine from CarMax. Could this have been the issue?
4. I wanted to take it in just for a general check on things anyway (I have the MaxCare thing through CarMax with a $50 deductible). Should I take it in for a general checkup and mention the leak? Or should I specifically bring it somewhere to check for a leak? Wasn't sure if these things would be done together or if a leak check is something more substantial/separate from the regular 'we check your fluid levels and overall health'

1. Like the warning says, do not open the cap when hot, ever. It confuses people because you're opening a cap on what looks like an overflow reservoir and back then you had a non-pressurized overflow reservoir, but this is a pressurized expansion reservoir which is different.
2. No, there are chemical tests, smell alone is not enough. Maybe color and consistency, if the oil is cloudy then you have a problem. Oil analysis would also show coolant in the oil.
3. If you don't know the original level, I would not assume a leak from the rip, you have no evidence yet and no reason to worry. Fill it to the proper level and monitor. It used to be normal to lose a significant amount in the tank after a one year timespan with overflow reservoirs back then, since the expansion reservoir is sealed, you should lose only as much as you drive.

 

[BWZ]

1. If it's a new Honda with type 2 blue in there, only put type 2, do not pollute it with anything else, no amount of money savings is worth putting some generic stuff in there. Once you mix it, there's no unmixing it.

The stuff in there is blue so I'm assuming the type 2 blue stuff is what I need, and I verified via the owners manual:

Okay so it sounds like the general consensus is that I should top it off to near the max line and keep an eye on it. I'll do that but still make an appointment next week to drop my car off. I'm still unsure on what to say my appointment is for. Really I just want an overall 'check' of the engine but also to check for leaks just in case. Are those two things they can do at the same time basically? Gosh these questions probably sound terribly dumb

 

[shoegazer]

Respectfully...

I think you're okay here. Buy the Honda stuff, fill to the 'cold' line (min); and check it in the mornings (when cold).

I've bought many Carmax cars. And while I like them; it wouldn't surprise me if the service department was out of Type 2 coolant (or got a page, or whatever) and just let that slide. I agree with everyone else that I believe the smell would be obvious if there was a leak.

If you still want to take it in; I'd just say that you thought you smelled coolant (a sweet smell) and would like the engine compartment inspected for leaks. I smell coolant every time I walk through a parking lot on a Summer day.

Good luck.

 

[BWZ]

Thanks, Shoe. So I should just fill to the min line? That's one thing I also read multiple answers about, is how much to add to it. I read a few other places to fill it near the max line.

 

[shoegazer]

It may have recently changed. The thing about the reservoir now being pressurized was new to me. So maybe now the lines have different meanings. But, as I recall, the variation happened when the engine was hot/cold. I don't think it's a precision measurement so much as a safe zone.

But, in this case, you can use it as a marker to compare one day to the next (at the same temperatures).

 

[latole]

It is only a overflow, if you see some coolant your engine is fine you have nothing to worry about.
Best is to keep between minimum and max.

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