2002 Chevrolet Prizm "What Coolant to Use?"

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Camu Mahubah

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I have a 2002 Chevy Prizm with 76000 miles on it. I can see some type of red coolant in the resevoir. What brand and/or type of coolant is this?

The car was made by NUMMI in California and is a Toyota Corolla Clone. It has the 1ZZ-FE 1.8L engine. I was wondering if this car has Dexcool or Toyota Coolant?????

Here's the really bad news... I think the tech that changed the oil the other day topped off my reservoir with DEXCOOL... I didn't tell em to fill anything but they did anyway... If this car does indeed have Toyota Coolant and has been topped of with Dexcool what are the ramifications?

Thanks for your help and opinions....
 
Red should mean Toyota coolant which makes sense considering they built the engine so you should still use that.

If your worried drain as much as you can out of the engine and refill with Toyota Red & distilled water at least 50/50 but higher ratio of 60/40 may be better if it gets extremely hot in your area or extremely cold.

I little Dexcool shouldn't be a big deal but I would era on the safe side anyway also considering what you said about it being the original stuff it seems like a good idea anyway.
 
How about this............look in the owners manual. My bet is it has Dexcool. It's a GM...........when you go to the dealer for anything, they have only Dexcool, not Toyota coolant.

If it has 80K on Dex, that's fine. My mom's Olds had about 120K on the original Dex when the intake and gaskets were replaced; cooling system is spotless, especially the rad.
 
Well this stuff is red, I do not have the owner's manual, I wish I did... I really wish I knew what was in this motor as i really love it... I live in an apartment now and have no place to flush....Where do you go for radiator flush?
 
Honestly, the Toyota dealer since you'll be 100% sure the right coolant will go back in.

I would only trust Pepboys/JiffyLube/etc...if I was doing a regular green flush.
 
You might do a internet search to find a free download for the owner's manual.
It would be great to have one for the many questions that come up.
 
Another thing that you might find helpful is a subscription for your vehicle through Alldadadiy.
This will give you factory service information as well as the TSB's.
Often, the manufacturer will issue a TSB that updates the information given in the owner's manual.
I find this information useful, even when having the work done for me, as I go into a repair situation knowing what is involved.
 
Well you could take it to the bowtie dealer, I find Chevy service lacking myself but maybe you won't.

Either way don't trust it too a quick change place.
 
Go to a Toyota dealership and ask for a radiator flush service! It will be money well spent. If itis Red it is Toyota Long Life. My Dad has used Dexcool in his 1995 Toyota Tacoma for a long time with no problems but he flushed it and then completely refilled with Dexcool. The Toyota Red longlife is very simalar to Dexcool so I do not think topping off is going to hurt anything. As a matter of fact if you have to have it flushed someplace else other then Toyota dealership like GM dealership or some private garage just make sure they use either Dexcool or G-05 and you will be fine. Toyota's usualy are not picky about coolant but it is always best not to mix two different chemistry's.
 
According to the owner's manual, that car was originally filled with the standard green stuff, not Dexcool or Toyota Red. If there was red or orange coolant, it was not the original coolant. I believe the wording in the manual is "ethylene glycol coolant meeting GM spec 1825M". If it would have been filled with Dexcool, they would have used the word "Dexcool".
 
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