Hands up those of you who have cooked an engine… Now I’ve got my hands back to the keyboard, I can say that after this experience, you will have learned the importance of keeping an eye on the engine’s coolant level. A cooked engine is an expensive experience that is best avoided.

Engine coolant is the fluid in the radiator cooling system which includes water and antifreeze additives. This coolant circulates in and around the engine to keep the engine components cool while working.

One of the best ways to ensure that your vehicle’s engine does not suffer from overheating is to make sure that the vehicle is serviced regularly and that, in between service intervals, the coolant levels are checked frequently.

Leakages can occur in a motor vehicle’s cooling system, mainly because of damaged or perished coolant pipes or radiators. Regular servicing should pick up any coolant leaks, which should, of course, be fixed as soon as possible.

Engine coolant has antifreeze added to the water so that the water will not freeze in sub-zero temperatures. Freezing, oddly enough, can cause overheating, as frozen coolant cannot flow through the pipes (which don’t conduct heat from the engine to the coolant to melt it), thus allowing the engine to overheat.

We hope that helps answer the question ‘What is What is Coolant?’!

Back to Car Glossary