2023 Hybrid : antifreeze needs 1 cup refill every 6 months

[Solostian]

Since I took delivery (August 2023), twice have I had to top off the antifreeze tank. I'd say my Mav loses about a cup every six months. Not much but still, should I be alarmed?

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[Glen Baker LLC]

 

[Driverdude]

Haven't heard much about it lately but if there is no evidence of a leak it could be a blown head gasket

 

[rgmiller32]

Which one of the cooling systems are you having to add to? There is one for the engine and one for the high voltage battery pack. What I have found on our 2016 Ford C-Max is that if you fill it all the way to the maximum fill level or slightly above that, it will purge a little out on very hot days. If you only fill to the minimum or just a little more it holds fine. This is in 80k miles.

 

[Solostian]

It's the one at the front.
The last time I added a cup was during summer and I filled it halfway between the Max and Min lines. Now, with temperatures going to -10C, I filled it to the Max line.
Your "purge" hypothesis sounds interesting. Would there be a way to validate it?

 

[HeyBales]

Interesting - just noticed on last fillup yesterday the engine coolant reservoir was on Min line, when it was on Max line probably back May when I last checked it specifically.

I stopped checking my oil with gas fillup when I saw manual say it needs more drain time than I'm sitting at the pump for, so didn't bother.
So kinda did my 6 month inspection and was surprised that much use in 6 months when I've seen prior cars no movement over a year.

A purge would have a controlled line going to the ground (since the "recovery" canister is part of the pressurized system here) - not sure there is though.

 

[23grayXLT84]

Coolant levels vary with temperature. Keep and eye on it.

 

[Headbanger]

Haven't heard much about it lately but if there is no evidence of a leak it could be a blown head gasket

Wouldn’t that smell though?

 

[Ozarkbeard]

I've always checked my vehicles after they have been sitting all night. If it's above the MIN line and below the MAX line, I don't touch it. Never had to add any coolant to either of the reservoirs on my Hybrid.

 

[inline_five]

I have a hybrid and took delivery Sept 2023. I have about 4000 miles on mine, and the tank was just at/above minimum after delivery. I check regularly and now it sits just below min in both tanks, after sitting for several days, in a garage, at 56° ambient.

How many miles on yours? I am hyper sensitive to this because one of my vehicles also has a slow leak (over tens of thousands of miles) and I cannot figure out why. This is a pet peeve of mine and I would like to know what is going on.

 

[Solostian]

About 13K. Mine came down to the minimum line twice in that period. I have had to had a cup each time to bring it between the two lines.

 

[jb_cb900]

You could try parking on clean pavement and removing the shield under the engine on a cold/cool day. Start the engine and let it come to full operating temp while watching, feeling and smelling for leaks. Stop engine and do the same for cool down.
I had a Taurus that only leaked a short period of time during warm-up. The leak was around the radiator endcaps (reservoirs).

 

[Solostian]

We're kinda going to a cold spell here in Canada and I don't have access to a heated garage. So I think I'll go over all the whole cooling lines come Spring. I can add more cups until then.

 

[HeyBales]

You could try parking on clean pavement and removing the shield under the engine on a cold/cool day. Start the engine and let it come to full operating temp while watching, feeling and smelling for leaks. Stop engine and do the same for cool down.
I had a Taurus that only leaked a short period of time during warm-up. The leak was around the radiator endcaps (reservoirs).

That's a difficult process on the hybrid - since warm enough to stop engine running is no where near "warmed up".

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Which one of the cooling systems are you having to add to? There is one for the engine and one for the high voltage battery pack. What I have found on our 2016 Ford C-Max is that if you fill it all the way to the maximum fill level or slightly above that, it will purge a little out on very hot days. If you only fill to the minimum or just a little more it holds fine. This is in 80k miles.

Yes, it appears to be on the ice coolant that the max line is for when hot anything over may purge. A few have posted that their heat recovery unit in exhaust near the HVB leaks and have to be replaced. When mine was new I took mine to dealer when fluid level dropped below minimum. They checked, said everything checked out, added fluid. Never low again but some times when cold in morning level in reservoir tank can vary from 1/8" over minimum to almost 1/2 way to max line.

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