Q: How often should I change the coolant?

asked by on January 20, 2016

How often should I change the coolant?

You should change your coolant every five years, or 150,000 mile-, whichever comes first.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Squealing noise
Hello. It sounds like your drive belt may need adjusting. Drive belts that are too loose can squeal, especially when the engine is cold. I suggest you have a trained professional, such as one from YourMechanic, adjust your belt (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/adjust-drive-belts)...
I came out for work yesterday and tried to start my car (push start ) and it would not crank on. I took my wife's car and left.
Based off your description, it sounds to me that the problem is a bad battery. Batteries could start going bad in colder weather depending on how old it is. I recommend replacing your battery to fix the issue. If you...
Several warning lights came on and the car is overheated, making a weird noise, and giving off a bad smell after being jump started.
There are a few possibilities with the symptoms you are having. The most common with what you have described is you may have attached the jumper cables incorrectly. This could cause a number of issues including the symptoms you are...
Stuck brake caliper
Although it is possible for a collapsed (internally and thus "invisible") rubber brake line to cause a retraction failure, by far the most common scenario is the caliper is sticking. If the calipers have more than, say, 70,000 miles on...
The alternator seems to be relatively new, is it possible that the voltage regulator is bad?
When it comes to electrical issues the first place to start is to assure that all the connections are clean, dry, and tight. There may be a loose or dirty connection from the installation process. This will include the battery...
Alternator or Battery?
Greetings! This definitely sounds like you may have an alternator beginning to fail. As you know, the alternator (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/alternator-replacement) is responsible for charging the battery. The rate at which this happens is correlated to the engine RPM's as the alternator...
MISFIRE CYLINDER NUMBER 3
Hi There, There are several reasons that can cause a valve to burn. One is normal wear and tear. As miles are put on an engine, the constant pounding and heat erosion wears away the metal on the face of...
I now have a donut on and my AWD light flickers and my steering wheel jerks.Its normally during acc but can happen randomly.
Hello, thank you for writing in. The spare tire on your vehicle does not have the monitoring systems the rest of the tires have. The spare will not input wheel speed sensor and other data to the computer. This is...
Engine misfire and traction control
Hi There, It is possible that the misfire (depending on how severe) may have produced enough of a jolt in the vehicle to cause the traction control system to detect a change in the stability of the vehicle. The traction...

Related articles

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Hyundai Elantra
Car Car buyers looking for an economical, fuel-efficient sedan that’s also a little sporty and very attractive will love the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Not only does it have a great list of standard features that any driver would enjoy, but...
A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Nissan Juke
The The 2012 Nissan Juke is part crossover, part sports car, and part radical looking car. It has five doors, folding rear seats, and a rear hatch for easy access to the cargo area. The seats fold flat offering extra...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Low Water Sensor
If your car has low coolant without a warning, the Coolant Light comes on for no reason, or the car is overheating, replace the low water sensor.