FORD check coolant additive message
- Thread starter tessa
- Start date
RoadJunkie
Well-known member
The message relates to the amount of coolant within the engine, not the quality of the coolant. You will need to add THE PROPER MANUFACTURE's recommended coolant to the reservoir located within the engine compartment. Your owners manual will fully explain the process including the markings on you coolant reservoir to determine low and proper levels.
codycarver
Founding Wyoming Chapter Leader-retired
The first time ours came I called our service dept. I was told it is a message to perform a test (PH if memory serves). I was told not to worry, to clear it, and it would be tested on the next service.
cgaskins
Well-known member
Agreed - timed message that is not an indicator of a problem - only a reminder to check.
I'm a Service Advisor for a Ford dealership and handle all the diesel's. This message will come on every 12-13,000 miles and a PH test should be performed by a Ford dealer. It has nothing to do with the coolant level, it is a PH test only and should be done to prevent damage to the oil and EGR coolers from the acidity levels being too high.
This message is programmed by Ford to appear based on mileage of your vehicle,there is a 2 part kit that can be purchased from your Ford dealer to check the Quality of your antifreeze or you can pay the dealer to check.
The antifreeze used today is long life and has additives that deplete due to use and the Aluminum parts used in engines.If you do not have your antifreeze tested and it is low in quality it will cause engine damage,I believe Ford has this programmed to appear every 18 k miles.
Ford sells an additive that can be added to the antifreeze to bring it back up to standard but this will depend on the test results.If you have to pay the dealer to check and buy the additive it maybe just as cheap to have them flush the 2 systems and replace.Fords radiator is a 2 part system,1 to cool the engine and the second to cool the EGR system.Both systems hold approx. 24 gallons in total and the Ford engine does not have a drain plug in the engine. Both radiators setups have separate drain plugs,most Techs will also pull off the bottom hose to get as much antifreeze out as possible.
Had this performed on my unit for 200 dollars at the Ford dealer,new antifreeze is better than using the additive.
I have about 80K miles on my '11 F350 and have taken the truck to the closest dealer to wherever I am on my travels to test each time the message comes up. Never have they charged me and each dealer had done it within a few minutes of my request. I am still on the original coolant and the last dealer (Arizona) said no change is typically needed until after 100K miles.
porthole
Retired
Your 6.7 Scorpion Powerstroke diesel has a unique dual cooling system and requires very specific coolant, additives and testing.
Yes you can get test strips from the dealer (maybe) Rotunda or Accustrip. Whichever kit you get, it needs to be for the 6.7.
Somewhere around 15K miles the service indicator comes up on the dash. To do the test correctly you need 4 test strips and it is not as simple as dipping the test strip in the coolant tank.
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That is incorrect. The service indicator has no PCM inputs for coolant level.
RoadJunkie
Well-known member
Well I sure learned something today. Sorry for the misinformation.
porthole
Retired
That was and is bad advise. And perhaps time to seek a new service department. The 6.7 is quite sophisticated for being a 1890's basic design.
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Bill - see above. The test is a relatively simple test, just not as simple as dipping the strip. More then likely dealers that give bad advise like that have seen that it is typical for the the first 2-3 tests to show everything is A-OK.
But why take a chance on your 60K+ truck?
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There are a couple of suppliers, Acustrip probably is the most popular. Your truck was probably not tested unless specified.
ACUSTRIPE FORD ANTIFREEZE COOLANT ELC CONTAMINATION KIT (FORD 6.7 DIESEL)
porthole
Retired
That is incorrect. The test has nothing to do with PH.
Besides coolant - water mix, the significant part of the test is the carboxylates levels, the corrosion inhibitor for the entire cooling system. A second separate test is available to check the water quality used in the 50/50 mix.
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The service indicator should activate around 15K miles or 600 hours.
If the test shows the additives being insufficient, Ford part for adding is VC-12
The coolant can have the additive two times before you should have the systems flushed and new coolant installed.
Ford also recommend the coolant be replaced at 105K, then after that 105K change every 45K
Primary cooling approx 29 quarts
Secondary cooling approx 11 quarts
From the "Coffee Table Book"
The 6.7L Power Stroke® diesel engine has two separate cooling systems:
• The engine cooling system, called the primary or high temperature cooling system,
• The powertrain secondary cooling system, a low temperature system which cools the Charge Air Cooler (CAC), fuel cooler, EGR cooler and transmission oil cooler.
Both cooling systems have their own radiator, belt-driven coolant pump, thermostats and degas bottle.
Motorcraft® Specialty Orange coolant mixed with distilled water is the only coolant to use in the 6.7L Power Stroke® diesel engine. Corrosion resistance needs to be checked at specic intervals using Motorcraft® test strip kit.
Consult the workshop manual for details.
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If the dealers did the test correctly it is very possible that nothing needs to be done. And the coolant should be changed around 105K.
I have done all my tests at the indicator message display and have only added the VC-12 once, at the 60K test.
5 times so far and #6 coming up in the next few thousand.
weekender01
Well-known member
This is great info to have, but the truly sad part is most Ford Service locations (at least in North Georgia/Chattanooga) don't have a clue about this. They do not know how to perform these test nor what test should even be performed. You would think they would be trained, but are not.
For me to purchase the test equipment it was rather expensive so I probably had the dealer take advantage of me as they changed my fluid around 50K. Way too early!
I will know better moving forward.
For me to purchase the test equipment it was rather expensive so I probably had the dealer take advantage of me as they changed my fluid around 50K. Way too early!
I will know better moving forward.
codycarver
Founding Wyoming Chapter Leader-retired
Really. You know this because you have the service records, intervals, and when the next service was do I suppose?
porthole
Retired
NO - I know this because you posted it.
That is bad advise.
The service indicator pops up at the 15K/600 interval for a specific reason, to check the protection qualities of a very specific type of coolant that is required in a very specific diesel engine that requires a very specific type and quantity of additives.
Now, if your next scheduled service at the dealer was upcoming in the near future, perhaps you should have added the caveat to your first post.
But if you want to run with that advise - go for it. Who am I to suggest you pay for unneeded inspections.
For me, and I do have the experience to back it up, I know that is bad advise.
Kind of along the lines of saying the GM supplied OAT coolant, labeled as being Ford compliant, is good advise.
dbbls59
Well-known member
My dealer always checks mine for free when I request it. I too was told the first time the message came up not to worry about it because they have never seen a problem with the coolant early on. I would not buy the test strips because the shelf life is not extremely long. Your dealer probably will most likely not charge you for the test.
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