You guys are gonna love this. I just spoke with 3 different Toyota service departments and here are the 3 responses regarding coolant type and topping it off.:

1st service rep: We only use the red during the first 2 years, or 30,000 km of the vehicle. After that it should be flushed and changed to green. Green is the best one to use and we can tell the condition of it easier than if it was red.

2nd service rep: We use the red version. It's a variation of the green and should not be confused with the orange. If you currently have red & it needs to be topped off you're fine using the green, but not the orange one, coined "Dexcool" by GM.

3rd service rep: We use the red version. It's just like the orange one, so if you need to top it off you can add the orange one, coined "Dexcool" by GM, which is long lasting. But DO NOT use the green one in there. They don't mix.

Ok, um. Does anyone else see why I'm confused?

 

Yep, I only run the green available from Toyota.
If I did not run it, I'd run Prestone which I have used for close to 30 years.

All those colors can be quite confusing :pat:

 

Oh brother. I know for sure that green and orange don't mix.

I thought red and green mixed too, and I thought my 4Runner nad green in it...until I changed the coolant!

When I would check the radiator, and even in the coolant resevoir, the coolant would look green. The stuff on the res. may have had some red in it. But when I drained everything, I was really surprised to see all the red coolant pouring out. Even in the catch can, you could tell that the red and green coolants were separating. Maybe it was just long overdue for my rig, but I decided I'd stick with Toyota Red and only Toyota Red!

 

Go with the manufacturer's brand, yes, I agree. The problem is that one of the manufacturer's service ppl even tell me not to go w/red unless the vehicle is new. This rep said the red may ruin gaskets which is why they flush them all to green. The green has sealant functions so it doesn't ruin gaskets.

Talking to the different dealer service reps today was like walking in circles: you waste a lot of energy and you really haven't gotten anywhere.

Here's part of the dilemna: Let's say I want to flush the rad. Well, depending where I have it done I will end up with red or green coolant, but one place will tell me to top it off w/orange and the other place with green. The first dealership won't even give/sell me red coolant because they say it should be green!?!

 

Things like this are why I just change the fluid myself. I used Toyota Long-Life RED. 1 gallon RED, 1 gallon distilled water. Drain and fill only.

 

You mean synthetic long-life RED right, j?

 

Maybe USA Toyota red = Canadian green.... You never know what's going on north of the border!

That's odd that you have a dealership that won't sell red coolant. I'm gonna make a few calls for comparison's sake and post again w/results!

 

OK, here's the results of my informal test:

Toyota 101: They use red when doing a coolant flush. Service rep told me red and green are "basically" the same. Definitely no orange.

Putnam Toyota: They also use red for a coolant flush. Definitely no orange, but this guy said red and green are not the same either.

Bottom line: I think you're ok using red or green, but just stick to one color. Don't mix 'em.

 

When I worked for Lexus 91-92 we had several LS400's come in that the water pump had failed on. All of the vehicles had be serviced A/M and green coolant was used. Lexus tod us that the green coolant had high silicate content and was causing excessive wear of the water pump. They even had test results and pictures as I recll to prove it. I say stick with the red toyota coolant IMHO.

Paul

 

I must say after much investigation & research (and I do mean A LOT) I'm going to use Toyota's red coolant.

I've read & heard the same thing that you mentioned, partszar, regarding green & water pump replacement. Orange is Dexcool, which is a GM creation and comes w/much controversy.

The red coolant and soft tap water mixture is what I've personally decided on, with a drain & refill at least every 2 years. I'll probably end up doing it every summer. Or take it to the dealer to do it as it's only $40 anyway.

 

Its long life but I dont think it is Synthetic. Made by Toyota though. I also plan on 2 year changes.

 

Use Toyota Log-life Red coolant. It is different from green and very different from orange type coolants. Here is what Toyota says...
Toyota recommends Genuine Toyota Long Life Antifreeze Coolant (factory red fluid) as the first choice when maintaining your vehicle. Toyota coolant was developed to meet the specific requirements of our engines and provides maximum protection without the use of harmful silicates. Silicates, a main ingredient in the vast majority of antifreeze coolants, can actually damage the water pump seal, causing leakage. Our coolant is a high-performance, non-silicate coolant that provides better protection for metals without deterioration of the water pump seal.