Coolant colour

Labaik

Just popped open my coolant tank and noticed the coolant was a whitish colour which i found strange. When i start the car in mornings a red coolant light comes on but quickly goes out after a couple of minutes. Just wondering now could this be connected that there is a problem. Its a Yaris btw. Thanks

BlakeS94

Whitish to me sounds like milky, milky means coolant and oil mixing, has the consistency of the coolant become thicker as well as that milky colour? Check the underside of engine oil filler cap, does that also have the same colour stuff on it? Are you losing coolant and/or oil? Is there excessive white smoke coming out of the tailpipes? Are you noticing any sweet smells from the engine bay or exhaust when the car is running? If the answer is yes to one or all of these, it's likely that you have a head gasket issue.

The red coolant light is a light that you should not continue to drive with , that's indicating that the car is overheating, which would be related to the coolant issue, put these 2 issues together and I'm pretty sure you have a head gasket leak, and a bad one at that, probably a warped cylinder head also.

If its an old car I'd recommend you to cut your losses and move on.

Sorry for the bad news

Labaik

Sorry my mistake its a green coolant light that comes on when I first start the car in the mornings which quickly goes out after a couple of minutes. Not losing oil or coolant, the oil levels have been very good and has dropped very little in the last few months. No sweet taste that ive noticed either nor is there any white substance on the engine oil filler cap.

MakersMark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221786#Comment_119221786

You've jumped straight to telling him to scrap his car?

???

Op, maybe time to flush the coolant, how old is it?

Labaik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222211#Comment_119222211

Its a 06 Yaris with 180km on the clock, flew threw NCT last week. The coolant isnt thick its like watery not gooey just had another look will try get a picture up. No white smoke from exhaust either

MakersMark

No harm in getting the coolant flushed, especially if it's 16 years old!

Labaik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222231#Comment_119222231

Could i do that myself? I can see theres a little valve under the tank if i just twist that is it a matter of draining it and topping back up with fresh cooling?

MakersMark

That would just drain the holding/expanion bottle.

I think the Yaris coolant system capacity is 5 litres.

If you think there's a problem, I'd get the whole cooling system flushed by a mechanic.

Labaik

Ok thanks for that

PsychoPete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222240#Comment_119222240

There should be a small tap/plug at the bottom of the radiator, if you open that it will drain the coolant

Labaik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222693#Comment_119222693

No sweet smell I meant, obviously I didnt taste the coolant lol

BlakeS94

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222211#Comment_119222211

I'm just going off the information I had from the original post, sorry to be a debbie downer it's just the first thing that came to my mind hearing a milky coloured coolant and an overheating light on the dash. Can't blame me for thinking it's a head gasket issue, obviously the OP has cleared up some information and it may not be so bad.

I'd hope that the OP doesn't have to face any expensive repair bills