What Is Antifreeze and How Does it Work?

What is antifreeze? Is antifreeze coolant? If you are a new driver in Port Washington or you prefer to leave auto care to the experts, you might not know much about antifreeze. At Rallye Lexus, we can help. Find out more about what antifreeze is used for and get more of your auto care questions answered today.

What Is Antifreeze?

While some use the terms interchangeably, coolant is technically a mixture of antifreeze and water. The most common coolant mixtures are 50% antifreeze and 50% water, but there are more potent (and more expensive) coolant options that can be 70% antifreeze and 30% water. By the name it might sound like antifreeze and coolant achieve opposite results, but essentially they both help to regulate your engine’s temperature while you drive. Things to know about antifreeze:

• Antifreeze is usually made of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol.
• It is either green, pink, or orange in color, depending on its properties.
• Most vehicles take green antifreeze.

Be sure to check your owner’s manual to find out what kind of antifreeze your vehicle requires.

What Is Antifreeze Used for?

Antifreeze helps to prevent your engine from overheating or from freezing in extremely cold temperatures. In the vehicle radiator, the antifreeze is connected by a reservoir in the engine bay. A water pump circulates the fluid throughout your engine, transferring heat that’s generated by combustion away from your engine. The hot antifreeze then gets pumped back into the radiator to cool. This cycle is constantly repeating while you drive, working to keep your engine running at a safe temperature.

Why Is Antifreeze Important?

Antifreeze is important because it prevents damage to engine components that could be at risk during overheating or below-freezing temperatures–sometimes, and engine won’t even start if it’s too cold. Some critical components that antifreeze protects from damage include:

• Water Pump
• Engine Cylinders
• Connector Rods
• Head Gasket

If your hood is steaming or smoking, or it is too hot to touch, these are signs of something quite serious–schedule an appointment at a local service center immediately.

Rely On Rallye Lexus for Your Service Needs

If you want to know about antifreeze, check out the Spring vehicle maintenance checklist, or you are concerned your engine is in danger of overheating, contact our service department today. Our expert technicians can inspect your vehicle and get it back in good shape to run properly on Manhasset and Roslyn roads in no time. You can also check our current service specials to save on routine maintenance, learn about the Lexus ES 350 maintenance schedule, and more!