What happens if I overfill coolant reservoir?

Coolant expands as it heats and contracts when it cools. The extra space prevents damage to your engine and hoses. In worst case scenarios, overfilling your antifreeze tank can lead to electrical damage if overflow comes into contact with engine wiring.

Can you put too much coolant in the reservoir?

If you overfill the radiator reservoir plastic tank, the coolant/ anti-freeze in the radiator will be sent back to the reservoir when your car engine is hot, the radiator is very hot and the coolant is boiling to the level to overflow, your reservoir has no more room for the returning coolant, then the coolant will …

What happens when you overfill your antifreeze tank?

The purpose of the coolant recovery reservoir, or anti-freeze tank, is to allow for expansion and contraction of the coolant. Coolant, like most liquids, expands as it heats and this growth in volume must be accomodated.

What happens if you overfill the radiator coolant reservoir?

You can’t really overfill the radiator; it’s supposed to be full and there should be no air in the system. The coolant reservoir isn’t really that big a deal. If it’s too full, there is a chance when you drive the car and the coolant gets hot you could overflow the reservoir.

What happens when you fill the overflow reservoir?

You’re not supposed to fill the overflow reservoir. It’s the “OVERFLOW” tank for coolant to go when it gets hot and expands. You should check coolant level from the radiator and top off coolant if needed at the radiator.

When to check your coolant or antifreeze level?

Always check your coolant level when the car is cold. If you happen to have an older vehicle without a visible overflow and fill tank, you’ll have to check the antifreeze/coolant level by looking into the radiator. There is no dipstick or another meter to tell you whether you have enough coolant in the radiator on these older vehicles.

The purpose of the coolant recovery reservoir, or anti-freeze tank, is to allow for expansion and contraction of the coolant. Coolant, like most liquids, expands as it heats and this growth in volume must be accomodated.

How can you tell how much coolant is in the overflow tank?

The coolant inside can be green, yellow, pink, orange, red, or gold color. Do not take a wiper reservoir for the coolant reservoir. On the body of the overflow tank, you will find two marks, Full and Low. These lines tell whether the coolant is low or high. If the coolant is below the low mark, you have to add more coolant to the reservoir.

You can’t really overfill the radiator; it’s supposed to be full and there should be no air in the system. The coolant reservoir isn’t really that big a deal. If it’s too full, there is a chance when you drive the car and the coolant gets hot you could overflow the reservoir.

Always check your coolant level when the car is cold. If you happen to have an older vehicle without a visible overflow and fill tank, you’ll have to check the antifreeze/coolant level by looking into the radiator. There is no dipstick or another meter to tell you whether you have enough coolant in the radiator on these older vehicles.