Peak Cool Orange no longer GM DEXCOOL Approved?

[Matt1980]

So I decided to do a drain and fill on my 2015 GMC Terrain V6. I had a few Menards rebate coupons so I decided to buy the Coolant there because they sell the Peak Cool orange coolant. However I noticed that when I got home that the bottle no longer has the specific words of it being GM Dexcool approved on in it. It just says for vehicles requiring orange coolant. Other than that the bottle looks identical to the old label that specifically says its for GM vehicles. Even Menards website is still showing the picture of the old label https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...allon/pral53/p-1444449962454-c-10098.htm Unless I am going blind I do not see Dexcool anywhere on the bottle, see attached pictures

 

[samven]

My Fiesta uses Ford Orange that I have heard is Dexcool but have not been able to prove it to myself. I wonder if this is suppose to take the place of Ford Orange and GM Dexcool, but you would think they would have the Ford and GM specs numbers.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

getting too cheap to even license Dexcool/Deathcool Also, potassium 2-EHA is the really bad stuff that makes Dexcool Deathcool They later switched to sodium 2-EHA which is less awful than the original potassium version

 

[joekingcorvette]

I like the NHRA label on the bottle.

 

[03s]

The Peak website says the Orange coolant is for: Chrysler: 2013 and newer Ford: 2011 and newer GM: 1995 and newer but it is a newer looking jug. On O'Reilly's website coolant for a 2015 Terrain they have a similar looking jug to yours but the back of it still lists which manufacturers it is compatible with and DEX-COOL is one of them. It should be ok but it's up to you.

 

[Donald]

I am not sure coolant color is a good indication of the type of coolant. It would have been nice once they went beyond "ole green" is they had standardized on color and type of coolant. The most I would trust about color is if I had a Ford that should have Ford orange coolant in it from factory and the coolant in the vehicle was orange, then I assume its Ford orange. But still no guarantee.

 

[Matt1980]

Got an official response from Peak today... Thanks for the email. The formula used in PEAK Cool with the UPC of 074804033298 meets the performance requirements Dexcool and is therefore recommended in applications that specify the use of Dexcool coolant. Best regards, PEAK Technical Product Support Can't help but notice they say meets, but not approved or licensed.

 

[Donald]

Its got the NHRA and NASCAR logos so good to go.

 

[Matt1980]

Ok so I decided to call Peak since they had a phone number. Technical support said it is suitable to use for DEXCOOl. He said the reason they removed the GM Dexcool wording is because since Ford and Chrysler have adopted an orange coolant they didn't want people to thing their COOL line was only for GM products. That sounds like BS to me, they probably don't want to pay the licensing fee, but either way I now feel safe to use it.

 

[ripcord]

I would guess that they ran the numbers and figured they could make a higher profit on this without paying the license fees required to label it as Dexcool and there is no actual difference.

 

[Matt1980]

Originally Posted by ripcord

I would guess that they ran the numbers and figured they could make a higher profit on this without paying the license fees required to label it as Dexcool and there is no actual difference.

Pretty much what I'm assuming too. As another post above mentions if you look at the spec sheet it specifically says for Dex-Cool even though they removed the wording from the bottle. https://peakauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/201902_ARF14621_PEAK-COOL-AFC-SPEC-SHEET_052919.pdf

 

[viscous]

Can't help but notice they say meets, but not approved or licensed.

I find this bothersome. I realize that most folks here consider run-of-the-mill AMAM coolants compatible with DEX-COOL, and would certainly consider this stuff compatible, but the licensure adds a comfort level.

Ok so I decided to call Peak since they had a phone number. Technical support said it is suitable to use for DEXCOOl. He said the reason they removed the GM Dexcool wording is because since Ford and Chrysler have adopted an orange coolant they didn't want people to thing their COOL line was only for GM products. That sounds like BS to me, they probably don't want to pay the licensing fee, but either way I now feel safe to use it.

So is the formulation the same as when it had the DEX-COOL license? Or did the formulation change to "Orange AMAM?"

 

[Matt1980]

No idea, you would have to call or email them to get that answer and even then I could see them dodging that question. The cheapest GM approved DexCool I know of is the Prestone Full Concentrate they sell at walmart for $15. Buy that and a gallon of distilled water and you basically are paying $7.50 for a gallon for DexCool. https://www.walmart.com/ip/PRESTONE-Dex-Cool-Anitfreeze-Coolant-Concentrate-1gal/16889200

 

[Jake_J]

Nobody besides people in the know at Peak/Old World Industries can tell you for sure why they made the change, but I'd be willing to bet it's strictly a business (cost cutting) decision to avoid paying the GM license. I'd doubt they changed a thing about the coolant, just decided to go without the license and hence the name change. Dex-cool is over 20 years old (and Peak has been making it for a long time) so it's not a hard spec to meet, there are other companies that are marketing no-name Dex-cool like OEM Extended Life Orange I that aren't paying the license fee.

 

[Matt1980]

Nobody besides people in the know at Peak/Old World Industries can tell you for sure why they made the change, but I'd be willing to bet it's strictly a business (cost cutting) decision to avoid paying the GM license. I'd doubt they changed a thing about the coolant, just decided to go without the license and hence the name change. Dex-cool is over 20 years old (and Peak has been making it for a long time) so it's not a hard spec to meet, there are other companies that are marketing no-name Dex-cool like OEM Extended Life Orange I that aren't paying the license fee.

Another good example of this is Walmart SuperTech DexCool. The bottles at my local walmart still say GM Approved, but if you look at their website it now states that it is compatible not licensed. So I guess walmart is moving away from GM licensing and just going compatible?

Super Tech Dex-Cool 50/50 Antifreeze, 1 Gallon - Walmart.com

Free 2-day shipping. Buy Super Tech Dex-Cool 50/50 Antifreeze, 1 Gallon at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Super Tech Dex-Cool Compatible 50/50 Antifreeze, 1 Gallon - Walmart.com

Free 2-day shipping. Buy Super Tech Dex-Cool Compatible 50/50 Antifreeze, 1 Gallon at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

 

[viscous]

Another good example of this is Walmart SuperTech DexCool. The bottles at my local walmart still say GM Approved, but if you look at their website it now states that it is compatible not licensed. So I guess walmart is moving away from GM licensing and just going compatible?

Interesting observation.

 

[zzyzzx]

It might have more to do with not wanting to pay licensing fees, and the proliferation of non GM vehicles that use Orange colored coolant that happens to be pretty much DexCool.

 

[zzyzzx]

My Fiesta uses Ford Orange that I have heard is Dexcool but have not been able to prove it to myself. I wonder if this is suppose to take the place of Ford Orange and GM Dexcool, but you would think they would have the Ford and GM specs numbers.

I topped off a 2011 V6 Edge with Prestone DexCool and nothing bad happened.

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm pretty sure that I have never seen Walmart branded DexCool, and I shop at Walmart a lot

 

[Matt1980]

I'm pretty sure that I have never seen Walmart branded DexCool, and I shop at Walmart a lot

It exists, I took this pic today