How to Check Your Car's Engine Coolant Level

The coolant in your car is used to cool the engine when it is hot. With low engine coolant, the engine may overheat and the engine will be ruined. Engines can be costly to get replaced. So to prevent the engine from overheating, just follow the steps below to check your car's engine coolant level.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Make sure the vehicle is parked on a level surface. There are two types of coolant systems, closed and non-closed systems. Look at a service manual to determine which one you have.

2. On the closed system, you will have two levels marked on the recovery bottle, the high and low mark. The lower mark is where the coolant should be when the engine is cold. The upper mark will be where the coolant should be when the engine is hot. Check the level if the engine is hot or cold. If you need to add coolant, remove the cover from the recovery bottle and use a funnel to add coolant until the coolant is up to level. Use a solution of half coolant and half water.

3. On a non-closed system, remove the radiator cap. Never remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. You could seriously get burn. Now inspect the coolant level. The level should be about one inch below the radiator neck. If below use a funnel to add a solution of half water and half coolant. When up to level, install the radiator cap back onto the neck.