Coolant

How it is used

Technicians check the coolant level, top up or flush the coolant and look for coolant leaks. Coolant temperature is one of the key values on a scan tool. Electric vehicles also use coolant to control battery temperature.

Example sentences

1. The coolant level keeps dropping, but there's no visible leak.

2. Never open the coolant cap while the engine is hot.

Common collocations

• coolant level
• coolant leak
• coolant temperature
• top up the coolant
• coolant flush

Related terms

• engineThe machine that burns fuel, usually petrol or diesel, to produce the power that moves a vehicle. It turns the energy of burning fuel into rotation of the crankshaft.
• ECUShort for electronic control unit (or engine control unit): a small computer that reads sensors and controls actuators, for example injection timing in an engine. Modern cars have dozens of them.
• battery packThe large high-voltage battery that stores energy for an electric or hybrid vehicle. It is made of many cells grouped into modules, with cooling and control electronics in one housing.
• oil changeDraining the old engine oil and refilling with new oil of the correct grade, usually together with a new oil filter. It is the most basic routine service job.

More terms: Engine and Fuel Systems

• torque
• horsepower
• fuel injector
• internal combustion engine
• cylinder
• piston
• crankshaft
• camshaft
• turbocharger
• catalytic converter
• emissions
• fuel economy