How long does Toyota anti freeze last?

[RedRide]

How long can/should the OEM LL antifreeze last before changing?
I have have read and heard too many different opinions on this.

My Yaris is 4 years old. However, it only has about 13k miles on it.

[harda toenail]

Mine lasted until the water pump leaked :( but it was under warranty :)

I'd change it if it got about 5 years old in your case as you don't drive a lot. Just a personal opinion. Think about the millions of people that never change antifreeze. You should be ok for now

[RedRide]

This thread illustrates my confusion on this as no one ever seems to know....anywhere.

How can this be that one knows how long its safe to leave it in ?
All I ever hear is "I heard" or "I guess" etc no matter where I inquire.

BTW, I do not want to be like " the millions of people" who do not maintain their vehicles properly. :smile:

[Geoff Peace]

How long can/should the OEM LL antifreeze last before changing?
I have have read and heard too many different opinions on this.

My Yaris is 4 years old. However, it only has about 13k miles on it.

Look under the bonnet. Sorry, hood in the US! on the underside of the hood you should find a sticker which says filled with Toyota super coolant 10 year life. This answers your question! Whether or not it will actually last 10 years I do not know.
Regards Geoff Peace.

[RedRide]

.........Whether or not it will actually last 10 years I do not know.

Exactly........ no one knows.

IMO, the 10 year life stated it just a marketing gimmick.
After 10 years a customer will either have sold/traded the car or, accept any needed repairs for a 100k miles car caused by not changing it ........... well after the warranty has expired.

Al vehicle manufactures want to claim that their vehicles are more maintenance free than the competition's whether it's actually true or not .

BTW, there is not a sticker concerning coolant under my "hood". The sole info I got with my '09 in the US is a reference in the OEM service schedule pamphlet saying to change it after 10 years or 1000k miles.
"10 years" ??

[harda toenail]

If you're worried go change it. Simple as that.

[RedRide]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

G-o-l-l-y, Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!......... Why didn't I think of that? :bow: :bonk:

[yougojay]

http://www.waynesgarage.com/docs/engine_coolant.htm

Here is the 1st few lines of text:

It is very important that antifreeze or engine coolant is changed every two years (four years for vehicles with long life coolant) to replenish the additives that protect the cooling system from rust, corrosion, pitting, electrolysis, gelling and foaming. Your automobile cooling system should have a concentration of 50% to 70% antifreeze to water at all times.

Vehicles using Extended Life antifreezes should be changed in about 50,000 miles or 4 years to prevent system damage and radiators and heater cores from plugging up.


Hope this helps, makes sense to me.

It is from a repair garage website.

Fluids & filters are the most important things to keep clean

[RedRide]

^ ^ ^ ^

Thanks. :smile:

I guess I will change it next year.

BTW, I did Google it but, all I found was conflicting opinions as I said.
However, the link you posted is one that I missed.

In any event, it is now becoming evident that it would be a wise thing to change it after about 50.000 miles/5 years.
Yeah, it might last longer but, you might be taking a chance.

As far as "life time anti freeze"...... does anyone really take this marketing gimmick seriously besides maybe, the seriously mechanically challenged?

[Geoff Peace]

Exactly........ no one knows.

IMO, the 10 year life stated it just a marketing gimmick.
After 10 years a customer will either have sold/traded the car or, accept any needed repairs for a 100k miles car caused by not changing it ........... well after the warranty has expired.

Al vehicle manufactures want to claim that their vehicles are more maintenance free than the competition's whether it's actually true or not .

BTW, there is not a sticker concerning coolant under my "hood". The sole info I got with my '09 in the US is a reference in the OEM service schedule pamphlet saying to change it after 10 years or 1000k miles.
"10 years" ??I agree that 10 years is a rather tall order. I use 5 year antifreeze and change it at three years in my Mazda. As to the sticker there is one on my 2011 Yaris and on my previous one 2005. Perhaps it is for the UK market. Cannot think why though.
Regards Geoff Peace.

[RedRide]

BTW, just about all the info on the net about this is just "hearsay" with its origins aparrently derived directly from marketing claims.
As the saying goes, "believe half of what you hear and none of what you read on the net." :wink:

The US is a comparatively larger county and not nearly as homogeneous as the UK or some other counties my be.
So, things tend to be dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.
We do not get a lot of things on our cars (destined for the N. American market) that may be standard in other countries.

[fnkngrv]

AMSOIL's coolant is guaranteed for 7 years or 250k miles:

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/other-products/antifreeze/antifreeze-and-engine-coolant/?z0=1981306

I have known a few folks that have used it for that duration, but as previously stated a lot of folks don't keep vehicles that long or else if they do they never think to change the coolant which can be a catch 22 on whether or not something can happen. The change interval is just as critical in your case even though you only have 13k because with such a small amount of mileage many times the lubricants are not "moving" through the system and can become stagnant or begin a molecular breakdown. This is amplified greatly in regions with true winter temperatures (freezing or below). As for the Toyota coolant I have had great success without changing for several years. Not sure if this information is helpful in your case or not?

[yougojay]

Came across that site & it made sense to me. I've always heard, also, over my years of being around cars, that it's a good idea to change your coolant every 4 or 5 years (and that was for the old standard of 12,000 miles a year) Fluids wear out over the years, especially with the daily grind of engine use (cool down, heating up, cool down, heating up, over & over...) I can't imagine leaving the original coolant in a car for 10 years or 100, 000 + miles. I don't care if NASA used that 'brand' in space shuttle, it just won't last under that kind of abuse.
IMHO most Americans don't really take care of their cars. They'll wash them occasionally, get a few (maybe) oil changes and maybe replace a wiper or a few bulbs. Car gets dings, banged up a bit, person gets tired of it and gets a new car. We're a total throw away society. Manufacturers can make the claims as they know the chances of the owner keeping the car for 10+ years are slim to none.

[bronsin]

Look under the bonnet. Sorry, hood in the US! on the underside of the hood you should find a sticker which says filled with Toyota super coolant 10 year life. This answers your question! Whether or not it will actually last 10 years I do not know.
Regards Geoff Peace.


It will last a billion years! :thumbsup:


Your car is another story! :biggrin:

[nookandcrannycar]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

G-o-l-l-y, Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!......... Why didn't I think of that? :bow: :bonk:

Because Sgt. Carter wasn't there to remind you :biggrin:.

[nookandcrannycar]

I agree that 10 years is a rather tall order. I use 5 year antifreeze and change it at three years in my Mazda. As to the sticker there is one on my 2011 Yaris and on my previous one 2005. Perhaps it is for the UK market. Cannot think why though.
Regards Geoff Peace.

UK would make more sense, as he lists 1000k miles (1 million miles)...wouldn't 1000k kilometers (620,000 miles) make more sense? Then again, perhaps it was a typo and he meant 100k miles.

[nookandcrannycar]

^ ^ ^ ^

Thanks. :smile:

I guess I will change it next year.

BTW, I did Google it but, all I found was conflicting opinions as I said.
However, the link you posted is one that I missed.

In any event, it is now becoming evident that it would be a wise thing to change it after about 50.000 miles/5 years.
Yeah, it might last longer but, you might be taking a chance.

As far as "life time anti freeze"...... does anyone really take this marketing gimmick seriously besides maybe, the seriously mechanically challenged?

I'm king of going with 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've added coolant, but I've never done a flush (July 7th = 6 years 9 months and right now = 248k + miles). Trini is just now replacing his OEM water pump at just over 500,000 miles, and a flush = not on his detailed list of maintenance and repairs.

[esse10]

I'm king of going with 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've added coolant, but I've never done a flush (July 7th = 6 years 9 months and right now = 248k + miles). Trini is just now replacing his OEM water pump at just over 500,000 miles, and a flush = not on his detailed list of maintenance and repairs.

I agree if it aint broke.............don't try to fix it or it will be broke when you get done..LOL :biggrin: I haven't replaced mine in 3.5 years and I bought the 2005 Tacoma used and now has 122k miles, no problems so far. Toyota long life coolant-leave it alone.

[Geoff Peace]

UK would make more sense, as he lists 1000k miles (1 million miles)...wouldn't 1000k kilometers (620,000 miles) make more sense? Then again, perhaps it was a typo and he meant 100k miles.Sticker states 10 years or 100,000 miles. I never take much notice of the mileage as I only cover about 3,000 miles a year. The first components of antifreeze to degrade are the corrosion inhibitors. It will probably never freeze but the corrosion inhibitors prevent internal corrosion which means the head gasket is the first casualty. Antifreeze is cheaper than head gaskets!
Regards Geoff Peace.