HELP! Coolant is rusty brown only 30K!

[TheSilkySmooth]

My Coolant reservoir is low about and inch so I did a cold check on the level under the rad cap and noticed the coolant color is like a tan muddy or rusty brown. The Coolant in the resev is a red color. The car is a 2008 with 30K miles and I JUST had a 30K checkup. Is this color on aged coolant NORMAL or do I have a problem? The car had been acting odd the past couple days with unstable idle and rough running. I have noticed no steam out the tail pipe - but I wasnt looking for it either. I Also notice no oil in the coolant, but it was low just a couple OZ so I filled to top of rad cap with distilled H2O and closed it up. Does the 2008 use the red or the oink stuff - or are they interchange-able?

[ozmdd]

You have a problem. Should not be rust-colored.

[OTA'sTOY]

toyota long life coolant is red
super long life is pink

the pink coolant is 50/50 mix
the red is 100 concentrate
if topping off use the pink

it is possible you have a slight leak
you should get the cooling system pressure tested

[swidd]

I drained and replaced mine at 65,000 and it was clean and pink. Could not tell any difference in color between the old and the new.

[YarisSedan]

Coolant has rust inhibitors in it. Obviousely yours has degrated at a extremly early stage. At this point i would have the complete cooling system flushed out and replaced with fresh coolant. If you have around 30k miles still you should still be under the 3 year/36000 mile warrenty. Id take it back to the dealership.

If the coolant is service at its recomended interval it should never be any other color besides pink.

[bronsin]

Right the stuff that comes out at the service interval is invaribly indistinguishable (visibly) from the new stuff that goes in. I suspect a head gasket leak...in fact I would bet on it given your description.

[Hershey]

both our '08s were like this from the very beginning . I looked at a few used and new YARIS to discover they too were the same muddy orange color . Reminds me of clay soil . If concerned take it to a service center and have them check the coolants strength and acids . If you do please let us know what they discover . GOOD LUCK

[Hershey]

I'll check the 2010 for this . Maybe others should take a look or get someone to do it for them and report back their findings . Remember it's best to remove radiator cap when car has sat overnight . Don't want anyone to get harmed by hot coolant .

[TheSilkySmooth]

I just checked cold bottle level again this morning - and coolant was low 1.5" in the bottle. I didnt have time to check the rad cap - I was late for work!

[nazier]

I just checked cold bottle level again this morning - and coolant was low 1.5" in the bottle. I didnt have time to check the rad cap - I was late for work!

did u look under your oil cap if its a light brown color, you blew a gasket, stop driving and have this sorted out like now, did u not over rev the vehilce also while driving keep an eye on the temp, is there any white smoke coming out the exhaust while driving, it there a smell after driving the vehicle,

if so i would rather take the vehicle back and make a seen like you never made before, and then called toyota customer care while you at the dealer, they will have the vehcile sorted out asap, for you, remember this dealers dont like to get reported to the manufacture they loose points and it hurts their bonus and ratings,

[TheSilkySmooth]

No water in oil seen as yet. The Idle is unstable in the morning though after a cold start. No smoke seen yet or coolant smell.

[yarrr]

Aren't you running snowmobile oil or some random exotic oil from uzbekistan in your engine or something??

[TheSilkySmooth]

And this causes a water pump leak or blown ghead asket?? Olympic OIl Co. for White/Yardman/MTD, API SJ 5w-30 synthetic that happens to say "snowthrower oil" on the bottle. Remember Detergent and antiwear oil additives are under 0.3% of the oil package. Just a pinch. Everything else is just "oil".

[YarisSedan]

No water in oil seen as yet. The Idle is unstable in the morning though after a cold start. No smoke seen yet or coolant smell.

Typically rough idle in the morning until the vehicle is warmed up is a tell tale sign of very minor head gasket leakage. As the vehicle sits overnight coolant starts to seep into the cylinders causing the car to run rough like its missfiring for a little while till its warmed up and then it goes away and is fine the rest of the day till the next morning. It can be very minute that you dont have any real major loss of coolant or smoke coming from the tail pipe.

One really easy way to tell for sure is take your vehicle to any smog shop. Remove the radiator cap and have them put the "sniffer" close to the coolant and check for HCs you should read barely anything. If your reading somthing like 100 then you know for sure its starting signs of headgasket failure.

I dont like how our temperature gauges are digital. There is no analog gauge to show if your car is overheating until its on the verge and too late. A car running hotter than usual but not not severely overheating thats driven that way for a very long time can still cause warpage to the head to cause minor headgasket leaking.

[PaddyMac]

Does anyone know what happens if you put green coolant in the Toyota coolant? I know that if green stuff is put in dexcool very bad things happen.

[TheSilkySmooth]

My radiator hose (lower) is cold even after I get off the interstate and sit a minute. If I let the car sit running, the fan will eventaully come on after 10 mins and the lower hose will get hot. Maybe t-stat but these cars run cool I guess and have a hot t-stat. Maybe 195? I would LOVE to put in the TRD 180 unit but I think they pulled it from the catalogue as it was not emissions approved?

[talnlnky]

I dont like how our temperature gauges are digital. There is no analog gauge to show if your car is overheating until its on the verge and too late. A car running hotter than usual but not not severely overheating thats driven that way for a very long time can still cause warpage to the head to cause minor headgasket leaking.

Scanguage does.... I've yet to get mine over 200F. in the summers mid 90's is usually as high as I can get it. Not that I try to get it to run hot.

[matanfr]

it sounds to me like a leak in the "engine head"(gasket) or a leaked pump.also check if your oil level has suddenly rose up with no apparent reason after the vehicle is idle.

[Hershey]

just checked the 2010 and it's the orange / brown color . There's about 7,000 miles on it . This seems normal . Hopefully , not all our YARII have coolant leaks . Very doubtful .

[TheSilkySmooth]

Thanks, Man. After adding a pint of distilled HOH over a week when cold in the morning, the level has stabilized the past 3 days - not loosing any. Hope it was just the dealer checking the coolant when HOT and spilling some out or making a air bubble that I worked out ? ;) All was well before the 30K Toyota dealer service.

[bankrobber]

Does anyone know what happens if you put green coolant in the Toyota coolant? I know that if green stuff is put in dexcool very bad things happen.

Dosen't anybody use Prestone or Peak brands anymore? I quess its a Green color. I am colorblind so cant tell Green and Brown

[auxmike]

@silkysmooth;
Are'nt you the same member who stated the OEM Thai filters would damage the cars??
I've been using them since day one. 25k miles later, and no probs.

[Hershey]

if you get the nerve you could look at some used YARIS or even a new YARIS to check under the radiator cap for the orange - brown coolant . That's what we did . Sure it peed off a few salesman that went and got the key so I could pop the hood to a look around as if we were possibly interested in purchasing them . All for the sake of our YARII . Though it is a bit embarassing :redface: . Wonder if the coolant in the 2004 > 2006 XBs are of the same color . Guess I'll have to check out a few used XBs now :rolleyes: .

[Lucas13]

I checked my coolant from the readiator and looked brown and rusty too, I took a white napkin and let it absorb some of the coolant and the luquid looks pink as in the reservoir, so maybe is the black background that make it look rusty.

[TheSilkySmooth]

@silkysmooth;
Are'nt you the same member who stated the OEM Thai filters would damage the cars??
I've been using them since day one. 25k miles later, and no probs. And this has what to do with coolant? I was having problems after an oil change getting oil pressure with the thai filters I bought - On two separate cars in multiple instances. Thats more than coincidence or bad luck. Just relating my experience - doesnt mean it applies to everyone/ situation. I guess I could shut up and say nothing. That may comfort the paranoid types or the Iconoclast that arent comfortable in their own skin ;)

[R2D2]

I think Lucas13 is on the right track. I checked the coolant in my 09 and in the overflow tank it was bright neon pink and under the rad cap it was rusty brownish orange. I too think its the darker background changing the color. I didn't think to blotter test it like he did though.

R2