Engine Cooling

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2013 Ford Fiesta. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: The engine cooling system is filled with Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolant types degrades the corrosion protection of the coolant. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.

NOTE: Always fill the cooling system with the manufacturer's specified coolant. If a non-specified coolant has been used the cooling system must be chemically flushed. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHING . Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.

NOTE: During normal vehicle operation, Motorcraft Orange Antifreeze/Coolant may change color from orange to pink or light red. As long as the engine coolant is clear and uncontaminated, this color change does not indicate the engine coolant has degraded nor does it require the engine coolant to be drained, the system to be flushed, or the engine coolant to be replaced.

NOTE: Stop-leak style pellets/products must not be used as an additive in this engine cooling system. The addition of stop-leak style pellets/products can clog or damage the cooling system, resulting in degraded cooling system performance and/or failure.

The cooling system components include the:

radiator
cooling fan motor and shroud
degas bottle
radiator drain valve
coolant pump
thermostat housing
block heater (if equipped)

The engine uses a cold side thermostat. This means the thermostat is located at the lower radiator hose connection to the engine, where coolant enters the engine after being cooled by the radiator. During initial warm-up, the cooler coolant from the radiator quickly closes the thermostat after the warm coolant in the engine opens the thermostat slightly. The thermostat opens and closes several times before the coolant coming from the radiator is warm enough to allow the thermostat to remain open. The engine must run much longer than a vehicle with a hot side thermostat before the thermostat remains fully opened.

Engine coolant provides freeze protection, boil protection, corrosion protection and cooling efficiency to the engine and cooling components. In order to obtain these protections, maintain the engine coolant at the correct concentration and fluid level in the degas bottle.

When adding or topping off the engine coolant:

measure the coolant concentration in the vehicle using Coolant/Battery Refractometer 300-ROB75240 or equivalent.
determine the concentration desired based on the vehicle duty cycle of extreme hot or cold operating conditions.
add/top off or adjust the coolant as follows:
- for concentrations measured 48/52 to 50/50 (equates to a freeze point between -34°C (-30°F) and -37°C (-34°F)), use Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Prediluted to maintain a coolant concentration in this same range (freeze protection down to -37°C (-34°F).
- for all other concentrations, use Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Concentrated and/or distilled water to get to the desired concentration. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM DRAINING, FILLING AND BLEEDING .

When refilling the engine coolant after a flush procedure, use a mixture of Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Concentrated and distilled water to get to the desired concentration.

To maintain the integrity of the coolant and the cooling system:

Add Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant.
Do not add or mix with any other engine coolant. Mixing coolants degrades the coolant corrosion protection.
Do not add alcohol, methanol, brine or any engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze. These can cause engine damage from overheating or freezing.
Ford Motor Company does NOT recommend the use of recycled engine coolant in vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet available.