Ford Explorer Quiz
Maintenance

Engine Coolant Check

In this manual: Maintenance
Introduction — 10At a Glance — 3Child Safety — 11Seat Belts — 10Personal Safety System™ — 1Supplemental Restraint System — 10Pedestrian Protection — 1911 Assist — 3Keys and Remote Controls — 10MyKey™ — 8Doors & Locks — 9Liftgate — 7Safety — 3Steering Wheel — 11Wipers and Washers — 5Lighting — 13Automatic High Beam Control — 3Windows and Mirrors — 6Instrument Cluster — 4Information Displays — 4Climate Control — 6Cabin Air Quality — 2Seats — 9Garage Door Opener — 2Auxiliary Power Points — 3Storage Compartments — 2Starting and Stopping the Engine — 5Unique Driving Characteristics — 4Fuel and Refueling — 8Engine Emission Control — 3High-Voltage Battery — 1Infection Transmission — 8All-Wheel Drive Vehicle — 1Brakes — 5Reverse Brake Assist — 4Traction Control — 1Stability Control — 3Hill Descent Control — 3Park Aid — 8Cruise Control — 4Adaptive Cruise Control — 19Driver Assistance — 12Drive Mode Control — 4Loading — 6Tow/Haul — 6Driving Tips — 5Roadside Emergencies — 8Customer Assistance — 9Fuses — 3Maintenance — 21Vehicle Care — 12Wheels and Tires — 8Capacities and Specifications — 16Connectivity — 3Wi-Fi Hotspot — 3Audio System — 6SYNC™ 3 — 14Accessories — 1Ford Protect — 1Scheduled Maintenance — 5Appendices — 4
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When the engine is cold, check the coolant concentration and level at the intervals specified in the scheduled maintenance information. Refer to Scheduled Maintenance.

Maintain coolant concentration between 48% and 50%, which provides freeze protection down to -29°F (-34°C) to -35°F (-37°C). Coolant concentration must be checked with a refractometer. We do not recommend using hydrometers or coolant test strips to measure coolant concentration.

Adding Coolant

It is very important to use pre-diluted coolant that meets the specification to avoid clogging the small passages in the engine cooling system. Refer to Capacities and Specifications. Do not mix different colors or types of coolant in your vehicle. Mixing engine coolants or using an incorrect coolant may damage engine or cooling system components and may not be covered by the vehicle warranty.

If the coolant level is at or below the MIN mark, add pre-diluted coolant immediately.

To add engine coolant, perform the following steps:

  1. Slowly loosen the cap. Any pressure is released as you loosen the cap.
  2. Add pre-diluted coolant that meets the specification. Refer to Capacities and Specifications.
  3. Add enough pre-diluted coolant to reach the correct level.
  4. Install the coolant reservoir cap. Turn it clockwise until you feel strong resistance.
  5. Check the coolant level in the reservoir several times over the next few days of driving. If necessary, add enough pre-diluted engine coolant to bring the level to the correct level.

If you need to add more than 1.1 quarts (1 L) of engine coolant per month, have the vehicle checked as soon as possible. Operating the engine with low coolant may cause engine overheating and possible engine damage.

In an emergency, water without engine coolant may be added to reach a vehicle service facility. In this case, qualified personnel must:

  1. The cooling system must be drained.
  2. Chemically clean the cooling system.
  3. Add engine coolant as soon as possible.

Water alone, without engine coolant, may cause engine damage due to corrosion, overheating, or freezing.

Do not use the following fluids as a substitute for engine coolant:

  • Alcohol.
  • Methanol.
  • Brine.
  • Any coolant mixed with alcohol-based or methanol-based antifreeze.

Alcohol and other fluids may cause engine damage due to overheating or freezing.

Do not add supplemental inhibitors or additives to the engine coolant. They may be harmful and disrupt the corrosion protection of the coolant.

Recycled Engine Coolant

We do not recommend using recycled engine coolant, as an approved recycling process is not yet available.

Follow local community recycling and disposal regulations for automotive fluids.

Severe Cold Climate

If you are driving in an extremely cold climate:

  • It may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration above 50%.
  • A coolant concentration of 60% provides improved freeze protection. A coolant concentration above 60% reduces the overheat protection performance of the coolant and may cause damage to the engine.

If you are driving in an extremely hot climate:

  • You may reduce the coolant concentration to 40%.
  • A coolant concentration below 40% reduces freeze and corrosion protection. Reduced coolant performance may cause damage to the engine.

Vehicles operated year-round in non-extreme climate conditions should use pre-diluted coolant for optimal cooling system and engine protection.

Engine Coolant Replacement

Replace the coolant at the mileage intervals specified in the scheduled maintenance information. Add pre-diluted coolant that meets the specification. Refer to Capacities and Specifications.

Fail-Safe Cooling

Fail-safe cooling allows you to temporarily drive the vehicle before any additional component damage occurs. The safe driving distance depends on ambient temperature, vehicle load and terrain.

How Fail-Safe Cooling Works

If the engine begins to overheat, the coolant temperature gauge moves into the red zone:

The warning lamp illuminates and a message may appear in the information display.

If the engine reaches a predetermined overheat condition, the engine automatically switches to alternating cylinder operation. Each deactivated cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine.

In this case, your vehicle continues to operate:

  • Engine power is limited.
  • The air conditioning system turns off.

Continued operation increases engine temperature, which may lead to complete engine stoppage or a malfunction. In this situation, steering and braking effort increases.

When the engine temperature decreases, you can restart the engine. Have your vehicle inspected as soon as possible to minimize engine damage.

When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated

Your vehicle has limited engine power when in limp mode. Drive the vehicle with caution. Your vehicle does not maintain high speed and the engine may run poorly.

Remember that the engine may stop automatically to prevent engine damage. In this situation:

  1. Pull off the road as soon as possible and turn off the engine.
  2. If you are a member of a roadside assistance program, we recommend that you contact your roadside assistance service provider.
  3. If this is not possible, wait for some time for the engine to cool down.
  4. Check the coolant level. If the coolant level is at or below the minimum mark, immediately add pre-diluted coolant.
  5. When the engine temperature decreases, you can restart the engine. Have your vehicle inspected as soon as possible to minimize engine damage.

Engine Coolant Temperature Management (if equipped)

If you are towing a trailer with your vehicle, engine power may be temporarily reduced under severe operating conditions, such as climbing a long or steep grade at high ambient temperatures.

At this time, you may notice that the coolant temperature gauge moves toward the red zone, and a message may appear in the information display.

You may notice a reduction in vehicle speed caused by reduced engine power to control engine coolant temperature. Your vehicle may enter this mode if certain high temperature and high load conditions occur. The amount of speed reduction depends on vehicle load, grade and ambient temperature. If this occurs, it is not necessary to stop your vehicle. You may continue driving.

The air conditioner may automatically switch on and off during severe operating conditions to protect the engine from overheating. When the coolant temperature decreases to normal operating temperature, the air conditioner switches back on.

If the coolant temperature gauge has fully moved into the red zone, or if a coolant temperature warning or service message soon appears in your information display, do the following:

  1. Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. Fully apply the parking brake and shift into Park (P) or Neutral (N).
  2. Leave the engine running until the coolant temperature gauge needle returns to the normal position. If the temperature does not decrease after several minutes, complete the remaining steps.
  3. Turn off the engine and wait for it to cool. Check the coolant level.
  4. If the coolant level is at or below the MIN mark, add pre-diluted coolant immediately.
  5. If the coolant level is normal, restart the engine and continue.

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