# What color is this coolant **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 4, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733 "2026-01-04T02:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kennedy1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@Kennedy1963](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kennedy1963)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/1 "2026-01-04T02:14:52Z")
![20260102_104510](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/b/8/b8932cc83bd9070a119e9cee95f8ed3f2ff4900e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/2 "2026-01-04T02:16:57Z")
why did you delete the picture? I zoomed in and determined you have some kind of a Ford that requires orange coolant what’s in the picture could be a 50/50 mixture of orange or pink coolant, imo ---
**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 4, 2026, 2:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/3 "2026-01-04T02:24:53Z")
The pink color indicates it’s an OAT coolant. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/9/3/93d880feb804c835ee70dd777e64cf38d8f2a95e.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Kennedy1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@Kennedy1963](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kennedy1963)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 2:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/4 "2026-01-04T02:29:04Z")
I posted a better description of why I asked. I messed up the first attempt. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/5 "2026-01-04T03:22:13Z")
Please post a picture of the coolant bottle sticker Do/did you have a low coolant level? ---
**Author:** ![Kennedy1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@Kennedy1963](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kennedy1963)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/6 "2026-01-04T03:27:27Z")
Thats the only pic I have. The car is 100 miles away at her house now. Its right on the minimum line when its cold. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 9:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/7 "2026-01-04T09:25:02Z")
LLooks pink to me like Toyota extra long life. My 012 Camry has kept the coolant level just below the minimum level since new I filled it to the max level twice and both times it soon returned to just below the minimum level. Changing the coolant at 10 years did nothing to change that. Never overheated. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/8 "2026-01-04T16:10:29Z")
The other post is here… > [@Messed up my question about coolant](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messed-up-my-question-about-coolant/204734): > > Been a long day. Im not good at putting pictures on here. So ill try again. This is on my 89 year old moms ford explorer.its a 2012 she bought new. 3.5 engine. All work has been done at the local Ford dealer. 75k miles. I looked it over and decided to check the air filters and a few other things. I noticed the coolant looks pink, it should be orange. She has ever receipt from the dealer service. Its never had any work done involving coolant. Just tire rotation and oil changes. Sad to say she’s n… ---
**Author:** ![bloody\_knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bloody\_knuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bloody_knuckles)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/9 "2026-01-05T15:37:52Z")
That’s orange Ford coolant. You can buy compatible antifreeze at the auto parts store. Just ask for orange Ford coolant for a 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-color-is-this-coolant/204733/10 "2026-01-06T17:35:23Z")
The sticker specifies orange, but the coolant in the tester looks pink. I would have the system flushed and refilled with the correct coolant.