What is Antifreeze?

Anti Freeze


With driving in the temperate climate of the Costa Mesa area, why does your car need antifreeze? Nothing under the hood is going to freeze when you’re driving around Tustin or en route to Riverside. If you’re wondering about antifreeze or asking, “Is antifreeze a coolant?” the Weir Canyon Acura service department is here to answer your antifreeze questions.

What is Antifreeze Used For?

Antifreeze has nothing to do with the temperature outside the car. Even when it’s consistently warm in Montclair, your car needs antifreeze to help regulate your engine’s temperature. Antifreeze is usually made from ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, and it’s dyed bright colors like green, pink, and orange to specify what vehicle type it’s made for.

Why is Antifreeze Important?

Antifreeze is a coolant that helps keep your car from overheating. If you’re low on antifreeze or it’s leaking, you run the risk of internal car parts being damaged by heat, which can mean expensive repairs and replacement parts. Parts that can be harmed by overheating include:

  • Head Gasket
  • Engine Cylinders
  • Water Pump
  • Connector Rods
  • If your car’s hood is too hot to touch, or there’s steam pouring out, contact our service department to check for leaks.

Because of its bright colors, if your antifreeze is leaking you might notice it on the ground where your car was parked. It’s important to clean up these leaks, because antifreeze is extremely toxic and can kill pets who are drawn to its sweet flavor.

The Six Auto Fluids You Need to Check

While the Acura NSX is the only Acura that requires premium gasoline, all cars require six fluids that need to be regularly checked. They are:

  1. Engine oil
  2. Antifreeze/coolant
  3. Brake fluid
  4. Power steering fluid
  5. Transmission fluid (for automatic transmissions only)
  6. Windshield washer fluid

Without clean fluids filled to adequate levels you run the risk of causing extensive damage to your car, or worse, putting yourself at risk for an accident. All of these fluids can be checked and changed during routine maintenance appointments.

Stay Up to Date on Your Acura’s Maintenance at Weir Canyon Acura

At Weir Canyon Acura we make it easy to stay up to date on all of your Acura’s routine maintenance. Contact our service department with your questions about how often to have your Acura checked with features like how to install a car batteryhow often to get an oil changehow to jump start a car, and how often to rotate tires.

Weir Canyon Acura 33.8769357, -117.75044.