# Added wrong liquid to coolant **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 10, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361 "2019-01-10T13:00:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tim\_Leib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tim\_Leib](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tim_Leib)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/1 "2019-01-10T13:00:20Z")
Windsheild washer fluid was added to my coolant by accident. It’s been about two days. What is my best option ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/2 "2019-01-10T13:15:25Z")
Ignore it and drive on. It won’thurt anything. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Leib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tim\_Leib](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tim_Leib)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/3 "2019-01-10T13:17:43Z")
Okay thank you. Also would this make my check engine light come on just need to know if I should keep looking for another problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/4 "2019-01-10T13:19:42Z")
No CEL… stop worrying ---
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/5 "2019-01-10T13:20:42Z")
Agree with @Mustangman, nothing to worry about. The check engine light is something else , head on over to a local auto parts store and have them read the codes, post them here, they will look like P1234, we can then comment on what they might mean ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Leib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tim\_Leib](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tim_Leib)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/6 "2019-01-10T13:21:25Z")
Awesome thank you. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/7 "2019-01-10T13:38:37Z")
> [@Tim\_Leib](#): > > Okay thank you. Also would this make my check engine light come on just need to know if I should keep looking for another problem. I’m wondering **why** you needed to add coolant? I’d be concerned that is why the CEL has illuminated. If that’s the case then get it check ASAP to avoid damaging, further damaging, or destroying the engine. _ **CSA** _ 🌴🕶 🌴 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Leib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tim\_Leib](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tim_Leib)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/8 "2019-01-10T13:42:44Z")
I didnt need thea coolant. It just wasnt completely full at the moment. Just was put into the wrong reservoir ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/9 "2019-01-10T19:51:35Z")
Antifreeze in the windshield cleaner fluid could damage paint. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/10 "2019-01-10T20:19:10Z")
I’ve seen radiators, radiator hoses, heater hoses, etc… fail where painted surfaces were covered in coolant. And not once have I seen those painted surfaces damaged. Tester ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/11 "2019-01-11T03:30:54Z")
Thank you, Mr @Tester. I never tried. The owner’s manual for my '87 Toyota pickup reads, ‘Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute because it may damage your vehicle’s paint.’ ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/12 "2019-01-11T04:52:04Z")
How much ww fluid did you add to the coolant overflow tank? If only a cup or two, unlikely to cause any problems to the cooling system beyond perhaps reducing the ability of the coolant to protect against freezing. So if you live in a climate where below 32 degree F temperatures occur, good idea to ask your shop to measure to what temperature the engine is protected against freezing. If you catch this sort of thing before starting the engine you can often just use a turkey baster gadget to suck everything out of the coolant overflow tank, re-fill the overflow tank with coolant, done. If you’re still unsure & concerned, ask your shop to replace the engine coolant. Won’t be overly expensive. That should be done every couple of years anyway as coolant become more and more acidic w/time and the acid , if it becomes too low of ph, will damage internal engine parts. ---
**Author:** ![donnaeastman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@donnaeastman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/donnaeastman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 11:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/added-wrong-liquid-to-coolant/132361/13 "2019-01-15T11:26:29Z")
Any problems with the pump from erosion, leaks or anything else **can cause** your vehicle to **overheat**. An **overheating** vehicle is a sign that needs immediate attention. … That might happen if a **coolant** hose bursts, but it’s far more common for an engine to **overheat** without any outward signs