Coolant Reservoir, Maintenance Item?

[zzyzzx]

Coolant Reservoir, Maintenance Item?​

Pressurized plastic container... What could possibly go wrong?
My 1999 Alero still has its original coolant reservoir, but it's so dirty that I have to remove the cap to check the level.

 

[SkeeterReaper]

I work in a municipal department fleet with roughly 60 vehicles to maintain as old as a 2000 model. We've only ever replaced the coolant reservoirs on our 2016 Silverados. We have 5 of these trucks and the major issues we have with this batch of trucks are cooling system leaks. heater hoses, radiator hoses, radiators....
Yes, some coolant tanks on other vehicles are cloudy and dingy but you can still make a level out and they're not leaking so they're not getting replaced.

 

[camrydriver111]

If it's an overflow tank, inspect and don't replace if not needed.

However, if it's an expansion tank I might think about replacement.

On some BMWs this is not an uncommon failure point.

 

[SHOZ]

The '96-97 Ford Taurus had a bad OE tank that would get brittle and leak. One place the Dorman replacement put Ford to shame. Same with the plastic Ys for the cooling hoses under the intake.

 

[JHZR2]

I just drove 280 miles with a 33 year old one. Nope…

 

[jsean]

Replaced it in my Saab 9-5 NG - it’s a common failure point on the ones with the 2.8 V6 due to the super tight packaging. That engine bay packs some real heat after a drive around town.

 

[BHopkins]

What happened to the one in the Alero?

It started leaking at the nipple that the hose attaches to.

 

[Vaca]

Just replaced the degas coolant reservoir on my elderly Saab. The hose nipples are known to crack and blow coolant. Some reservoirs are prone to leak at the seam where the halves are joined. I prefer to be proactive.

Do any of you replace yours as a routine maintenance item?

The coolant tanks on Boxsters can leak as they age. I've replaced my once on my 2000 Boxster. It's a PITA to get to it, so I'll just keep an eye on it and deal with it when needed but probably won't let it go more than say, 15 years. But on most other cars, I don't replace on a set schedule, but won't hesitate replacing it if it shows any signs of issues, especially if it's a pressurized tank. If it's an older-style overflow type like on my 2020 Tacoma, I'm not really concerned since if it leaks, it'll simply make a mess and not screw up the coolant system.

 

[PandaBear]

The one in my dad's Ford Taurus (2001) was problematic and leak over time. That's more of a design problem and the new Dorman (same design as redesigned OEM) lasted till we sold the car. I am not sure if it is the fault of the design or pressurized tank is just not durable. My Lexus / Toyota don't have such problem so far.

 

[BrendanC]

i have replaced all three of the ones on my vehicles. the accords aren’t pressurized but my silverado’s is. some of it is peace of mind but also being able to glance and see coolant level is nice. all of them are dorman.

 

[TwoC400s]

Only done it as a PM one time. It was a common problem on the D3 A8s, so I replaced it when I did the coolant. I loved that car, but at 10 years old the wiring started to crumble on almost every system.

 

[Shel_B]

The only maintenance I do to the reservoir is rinse/clean the inside (as needed) when replacing the coolant.

1. Pour in some uncooked rice (ex. Kokuho Rose).
2. Fill reservoir with water.
3. Shake the reservoir, allow the rice to scrub the inside.
4. Pour out the liquid - repeat 5-7 as needed.

Thanks for posting that suggestion. When the time comes to clean the reservoir, I'll certainly give it a try.