what coolant is correct for my 2010 rav4 2.4L 4WD?
coolant for Rav4
hannah2126
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
Joined
·
2 Posts
what coolant is correct for my 2010 rav4 2.4L 4WD?
Joined
·
27 Posts
Toyota Super Long Life Pink. This is available from Amazon or Toyota dealer.
Zerex Asian seems to meet specs also but not everyone thinks it does. Available through Amazon.
Use only one of these and no others.
Zerex Asian seems to meet specs also but not everyone thinks it does. Available through Amazon.
Use only one of these and no others.
Joined
·
10,644 Posts
Welcome! From the Owner's Manual - One can use any coolant which meets Toyota's spec, Owner's Manual says to use high quality ethylene glycol non-borate, non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite coolant. Coolant color doesn't matter so long as it meets those specs.
Joined
·
2 Posts
Thank you for this information I do appreciate it..
Joined
·
27 Posts
I noticed in an ad that Advance Auto Parts now stocks the Zerex Asian for $15/gal. If you have a store in your area this may be the one to buy.
Joined
·
10,644 Posts
I did a lot of digging for info about coolants a couple of years ago. Results (from an earlier post:
The Toyota RAV4 Owner's Manual says that coolant used should be either Toyota Super Long Life Coolant, or "Similar high quality ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite, and non-borate coolant with long-life hybrid organic acid technology." Chevron Dex-Cool coolant employs the same labeling and uses the word "carboxylate" in its technical data description, rather than "organic acid," which Toyota uses. Question is, are they actually the same. From an article by Reochem, Inc., Coolant Experts:
"OAT is an acronym for Organic Acid (Additive) Technology which describes the type of materials responsible for the corrosion protection offered by a coolant of this type. OATs are Long Life Coolants (LLC), based on minimally depleting Carboxylate Technology. This technology provides superior protection to all components of the cooling system including those exotic materials like aluminum and magnesium found in the modern day engine."
According to the article Toyota coolant and Chevron Dex-Cool would appear to be based upon the same technology. Perhaps a RAV4 owner who is a chemist could determine whether this is a correct or incorrect assumption.
The Toyota RAV4 Owner's Manual says that coolant used should be either Toyota Super Long Life Coolant, or "Similar high quality ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite, and non-borate coolant with long-life hybrid organic acid technology." Chevron Dex-Cool coolant employs the same labeling and uses the word "carboxylate" in its technical data description, rather than "organic acid," which Toyota uses. Question is, are they actually the same. From an article by Reochem, Inc., Coolant Experts:
"OAT is an acronym for Organic Acid (Additive) Technology which describes the type of materials responsible for the corrosion protection offered by a coolant of this type. OATs are Long Life Coolants (LLC), based on minimally depleting Carboxylate Technology. This technology provides superior protection to all components of the cooling system including those exotic materials like aluminum and magnesium found in the modern day engine."
According to the article Toyota coolant and Chevron Dex-Cool would appear to be based upon the same technology. Perhaps a RAV4 owner who is a chemist could determine whether this is a correct or incorrect assumption.
I'm not a chemist but I'm sure that Dex-Cool would not be considered an acceptable substitute for Super Long Life Pink Coolant by Toyota. The reason is that SLLPC contains a phosphate inhibitor to prevent corrosion of aluminum and Dex-Cool doesn't. Furthermore, one of the organic acid corrosion inhibitors in Dex-Cool is 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA) which has been blamed for gasket failures in some GM engines. SLLPC has no 2-EHA.
In spite of this, I used Dex-Cool in a '93 Corolla for many years with no apparent problems.
In spite of this, I used Dex-Cool in a '93 Corolla for many years with no apparent problems.
Joined
·
10,644 Posts
The Dex-Cool label states that it has "excellent high temperature aluminum protection." I'm not a chemist either, but I've been using Dex-Cool in my motorcycle which an aluminum engine and radiator for a number of years with no evidence of corrosion. GM has been using aluminum engines and components for years and it would appear absurd if coolant which meets their specs didn't protect those components.
Joined
·
1,453 Posts
I would not trust a word GM put in print any more than I would trust a hungry alligator to babysit my kids...coolant and transmission fluid are among the few things I get from Toyota...
Joined
·
263 Posts
more info on this? 3 of my 4 cars are from asia/japan, so I have been using zerex Asian...
Joined
·
10,644 Posts
Well, the original inquiry was about what coolants one could use in their Toyota, and the short and longer answers are that any coolant which meets Toyota specs can be used. Obviously it involves personal choice. No problem with my using Havoline DexCool in my 2007 motorcycle since the first coolant change, and as noted previously it has an aluminum radiator and engine. A neighbor has a somewhat archaic Toyota pickup truck and says that it has had Prestone coolant for years and hasn't had any resulting problem. I always use a 50/50 coolant-distilled water mix.
Joined
·
10,644 Posts
I read some related posts on the Toyota Tacoma World forum and a number of owners say that they have been using that coolant.
Joined
·
303 Posts
This. ^^^^
Toyota, Honda, Nissan (and probably others) use the same coolant except that it has pink dye in Toyotas and blue in Honda/Nissan. Zerex Asian is a perfectly acceptable substitute. DexCool is not. Although, having said that, when Honda was supplying its 3.5L V6 engines to GM for use in the Saturn Vue, GM was factory-filling those engines with DexCool. Not sure I've ever heard any issues with those Saturn-Hondas with DexCool.
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
