Got a low coolant warning right when I got to work. I’ve got a full shift today and tomorrow morning before anything’s open. Do you think my car will be okay to drive until tomorrow afternoon? It’s a short drive, about 5 miles each way.
You should top it off as soon as you can. Not sure what year your car is, but overheating any engine is a big deal and can cause serious damage.
True said:
You should top it off as soon as you can. Not sure what year your car is, but overheating any engine is a big deal and can cause serious damage.
My last car had overheating issues, so I’m a little worried. It’s only about 5 miles to and from work, but I can’t do anything until tomorrow afternoon.
@Mai
Maybe a coworker can grab some coolant for you, or try using a delivery app to get it dropped off. Even short drives can be risky with low coolant, and overheating might happen quicker than you think.
@Mai
Pop the hood and check the coolant overflow tank. Is it low or completely empty? If it’s empty, don’t drive it. See if someone can take you to grab some coolant today.
Shai said:
@Mai
Pop the hood and check the coolant overflow tank. Is it low or completely empty? If it’s empty, don’t drive it. See if someone can take you to grab some coolant today.
It’s not completely empty—about a quarter full.
@Mai
Alright, good to know. Hopefully it’s just a small leak and nothing major.
Sounds like the coolant intrusion issue with the EcoBoost engines. Look it up—there are class action lawsuits about it. You might need a new engine. Ford knows about this but hasn’t replaced them all.
Joss said:
Sounds like the coolant intrusion issue with the EcoBoost engines. Look it up—there are class action lawsuits about it. You might need a new engine. Ford knows about this but hasn’t replaced them all.
Yeah, check for this. If there’s no visible leak and you’re losing coolant, look for white smoke coming out of the exhaust. When mine had this issue, the smoke only showed up on a cold start and stopped once the engine warmed up. If it’s coolant intrusion, you’ll need a new engine block.
If you’re stuck, even grabbing some generic coolant from a gas station is better than driving it with none. You can flush and replace it with the right stuff later.
What year and model is your car?
Zephyr said:
What year and model is your car?
It’s a 2014 EcoBoost. The engine was replaced before I bought it.
I hope they replaced it with one of the updated engines and not one of the defective ones. Ford just recalled a bunch of 2024 EcoBoost trucks for the same issue. I honestly don’t get how they’re still allowed to make these engines with all the problems they’ve had.
Let the car cool down and pour some water in it until you can get proper coolant.
Lior said:
Let the car cool down and pour some water in it until you can get proper coolant.
Not a good idea if it’s freezing where you are—water could freeze and cause more damage.
@Tristan
Good point, didn’t think of that.
I’m really sorry. Been there before… RIP to your car.
Check the coolant level and see how low it really is. If it’s just at the minimum, you’re not in a huge emergency, but definitely add more soon.