coolant level issue

[kam472]

Has anyone have an issue with a coolant level? I had a car for a year and a half and what bothers me is....when i checked the level when engine was cold it showed MIN. After a long drive and good engine warm up it showed between MIN and Max. Is this right?Shouldn't it be the other way around though?(cold engine-between MIN and MAX and hot engine level shoud be lower?) Do i have some leak or does everybody else have similar problem?

[boqibama]

Bring the level up to MAX when engine is cold. Then keep an eye on it, if the level goes lower again, somewhere is leaking.

[Versa Madness]

You are fine. As the engine warms up the cooling system pressurizes due to the heat and as the pressure builds up the radiator cap will allow the excess coolant to bleed off into the coolant reservoir. After you park the car and the coolant cools, coolant will be drawn back into the radiator and engine due to contraction.

[sooner4x4]

Many things (including fluids) expand when they get hot. The proper coolant fluid level is:

When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be around the min mark. When the engine is hot, you should notice the coolant level is a little higher.

The exact level is not critical. There just needs to be some room in the overflow reservior for the coolant to occupy when the engine warms up. Even if it overflowed, no big deal, a little coolant would leak out onto the ground. Many years ago, cars did not have this overflow reservior, I remember adding an overflow tank to an old '71 Chrysler. As long as there was some coolant in the reservior, you were okay, that is, you knew you weren't low in the radiator.

The advice to top off the coolant level to max when the engine is cold is the exact opposite of what you should do.

[Driving Instructor]

I have had issues in this department. My coolant level was always going down and I can smell the coolant (sweeeeeeeeeet smell). One morning when I looked under the hood, the overflow bottle was empty, the rad was still full.....so I called the dealer and they said to birng it in. When I got there, it was up just bellow the min mark (hot engine). They pressued tested it and said nothing is wrong............... I am like..... this is BS, coolant just does not "evaporate".

So, I have been keeping an eye on it and it seems like it is not dropping and the smell is gone. But I will not bring it in until the bottle and the rad is empty! This way they can see there is a problem.

[keanucosmo]

I have had issues in this department. My coolant level was always going down and I can smell the coolant (sweeeeeeeeeet smell). One morning when I looked under the hood, the overflow bottle was empty, the rad was still full.....so I called the dealer and they said to birng it in. When I got there, it was up just bellow the min mark (hot engine). They pressued tested it and said nothing is wrong............... I am like..... this is BS, coolant just does not "evaporate".

So, I have been keeping an eye on it and it seems like it is not dropping and the smell is gone. But I will not bring it in until the bottle and the rad is empty! This way they can see there is a problem.

I had a similar situation. I never smelled any coolant, but one morning the overflow tank was empty. Since no hot indicator ever came on, I drove it until it was time for an oil change. I mentioned it to the mechanic, but when I picked the car up they said it was fine. Sure enough the coolant was at the min mark cold.

[Versa Madness]

.......But I will not bring it in until the bottle and the rad is empty! This way they can see there is a problem.

Never let the radiator run down or out of coolant unless you want to replace a head gasket or worse.

[Zadkiel]

Anybody ever think this is just normal for engines? Coolant expands when hot. The sytem also is pressurized when running. When the engine is off after running the system gradually loses pressure so it drains into the lowest area of the cooling system. It's like checking the oil or any other fluid that is pressurized and expands when hot. If you never get the light and your car dies then it should be covered under warranty.