Coolant Question

[choppstixxx]

When you need to top off your coolant tank, what brand/kind do you use?
I am a little confused since there are so many variations of G12 (G12+, G12++) and then theres G13. My current OEM coolant is bright pink, so that leads me to believe it is G12 since that is primarily pink vs. violet in color.
I ordered a 1.5L of RAVENOL J4D2000 OTC C12+ Coolant Antifreeze Concentrate (G12 Plus) because my buddy that was an Audi tech said that the Q5 uses G12. I believe you can mix any of the higher grade G12/G13 with lower grade, but not vice versa.

[scsu]

When you need to top off your coolant tank, what brand/kind do you use?
I am a little confused since there are so many variations of G12 (G12+, G12++) and then theres G13. My current OEM coolant is bright pink, so that leads me to believe it is G12 since that is primarily pink vs. violet in color.
I ordered a 1.5L of RAVENOL J4D2000 OTC C12+ Coolant Antifreeze Concentrate (G12 Plus) because my buddy that was an Audi tech said that the Q5 uses G12. I believe you can mix any of the higher grade G12/G13 with lower grade, but not vice versa.

Is this for your 2016 Q5? If yes, then factory fill was G13. G12+ is compatible with G13 but with reduced corrosion protection. G12++ and G12evo are compatible with full corrosion protection. Below are the model years the coolants were introduced:

G11: 1994
G12: 1996
G12+: 2000
G12++: 2005
G13: 2012
G12evo: 2018, but only in certain VIN's. I don't know what VIN's this new coolant is used in. Dealer would be able to look it up by VIN in ETKA.

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[choppstixxx]

Is this for your 2016 Q5? If yes, then factory fill was G13. G12+ is compatible with G13 but with reduced corrosion protection. G12++ and G12evo are compatible with full corrosion protection. Below are the model years the coolants were introduced:

G11: 1994
G12: 1996
G12+: 2000
G12++: 2005
G13: 2012
G12evo: 2018, but only in certain VIN's. I don't know what VIN's this new coolant is used in. Dealer would be able to look it up by VIN in ETKA.

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Awesome info, looks like I will be returning the G12+ I bought. Rather get the right stuff and not mess with what's in it currently.

[scsu]

Awesome info, looks like I will be returning the G12+ I bought. Rather get the right stuff and not mess with what's in it currently.

Good call. I see a lot of damaged cooling systems due to improper mixing of coolant or the wrong type. Also, if you're getting a concentrated, i.e. not premixed with water, make sure you mix it with distilled water. Most tap water doesn't meet SAE water quality standards for cooling systems; mineral and oxygen content too high.

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[choppstixxx]

Good call. I see a lot of damaged cooling systems due to improper mixing of coolant or the wrong type. Also, if you're getting a concentrated, i.e. not premixed with water, make sure you mix it with distilled water. Most tap water doesn't meet SAE water quality standards for cooling systems; mineral and oxygen content too high.
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Mos def., have mixed a few concentrated coolants before and only used distilled. I think I am going to order Pentofrost E, looks like it is a G13 coolant that is compatible with G12, G12+, G12++, G13, and G40.

[q5 dave]

Coolant is the one thing I've gone straight to the dealer for. The peace of mind is worth it!

[choppstixxx]

Ended up grabbing some Pentofrost E from my local Auto Zone, great deal at $5 for the concentrated 1.5L bottle.

[djn876]

Did you look at your owner's manual? The coolant reservoir also has the type printed on there.

How much do you need to top it off? If it is just a small amount, just put some distilled water in. It will have a negligible impact on concentration.

I got some OE G13 after reading the manuals, typically they are backwards compatible. Note that G13 is also pink, so can't just go by color on it's own. The color typically specifies more the type of coolant (IAT/OAT/HOAT) not just a specific manufacturers product.

If you are using one that's the same color, it's probably OK to mix brands. Just don't mix types.

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[choppstixxx]

Did you look at your owner's manual? The coolant reservoir also has the type printed on there.

How much do you need to top it off? If it is just a small amount, just put some distilled water in. It will have a negligible impact on concentration.

I got some OE G13 after reading the manuals, typically they are backwards compatible. Note that G13 is also pink, so can't just go by color on it's own. The color typically specifies more the type of coolant (IAT/OAT/HOAT) not just a specific manufacturers product.

If you are using one that's the same color, it's probably OK to mix brands. Just don't mix types.

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My coolant level is more towards the "Low" mark on the tank. Def. some solid info, mine is G13 so I bought that. Don't wanna go fudging up my cooling system.

[djn876]

Are you checking it cold or hot? It will contract some when it is cold, but if you check it with the car at temp, (say a couple minutes after parking) any measurement should be a lot more consistent, since the coolant is at the same temp all the time, vice 30 deg in the winter and 80 in the summer.

If you do add, make sure you mix 50 50 with distilled water before pouring in, though again a small amount won't really matter if you already added it.

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[choppstixxx]

Are you checking it cold or hot? It will contract some when it is cold, but if you check it with the car at temp, (say a couple minutes after parking) any measurement should be a lot more consistent, since the coolant is at the same temp all the time, vice 30 deg in the winter and 80 in the summer.

If you do add, make sure you mix 50 50 with distilled water before pouring in, though again a small amount won't really matter if you already added it.

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I'll check the level tonight after I get home, haven't added anything new yet.

[scsu]

Did you look at your owner's manual? The coolant reservoir also has the type printed on there.

How much do you need to top it off? If it is just a small amount, just put some distilled water in. It will have a negligible impact on concentration.

I got some OE G13 after reading the manuals, typically they are backwards compatible. Note that G13 is also pink, so can't just go by color on it's own. The color typically specifies more the type of coolant (IAT/OAT/HOAT) not just a specific manufacturers product.

If you are using one that's the same color, it's probably OK to mix brands. Just don't mix types.

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Be very careful with colors. There's no industry standard for them. A red from one coolant manufacturer can be a totally different chemical formula from another's red.

Also, color can change over time and if any straight water was added.

Coolant color is generally standardized by the OEM for their products alone.

Audi actually considers G13 to be purple.

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[djn876]

Yeah I did a little more reading and it sounds like color used to be more indicative of type than it is now. G13 still looks pink to me when mixed. :)

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[choppstixxx]

Yeah I did a little more reading and it sounds like color used to be more indicative of type than it is now. G13 still looks pink to me when mixed. :)

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Pentofrost E is bright pink even tho the cap is a violet color. Weird thing is the coolant tank on my Q5 says G12 but the owners manual says G13. I put G13 in because I didn’t wanna risk it.


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[MSq5]

You have a 3.0 TFSI in your S-Line like me. We have even more marginal cooling than SQ5. They have an extra water/air intercooler we lack. For that reason, I run more distilled water, more like only 25% coolant, 75% water, and a bottle of Royal Purple brand Purple Ice, water wetter. This seems to help with coolant efficiency. If you can't do that much water in winter, it's a good mix for the remainder of the year. Water wetter works.

Note: Purple Ice is G-12/13 compatible. Redline Water Wetter may not be, according to other reports here.

[djn876]

Water wetter is fine to use according to their site.

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[Treeskier]

Just an FYI for future readers - the coolant overflow tank may not always be correctly labeled.

My coolant overflow tank says G12; it's well accepted that by 2014, the Q5 and SQ5 (I have a 2014 SQ5) were filled with G13. My manual lists G13 in it. So... Don't just trust / look at the overflow tank, use your manual to confirm.

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[MSq5]

Water wetter is fine to use according to their site.

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It does not like G12, Red Line website notwithstanding.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...l=1#post681930

Go to post #12 in that thread for more info.

I use Red Line products for other purposes. No hatred for them at all. I went with Royal Purple's "Purple Ice." I'm not aware of any failure to mix freely with G12 and water, or other formation of precipitate issues with it.

[djn876]

Dude those posts are all like 15 years or more old. To be fair, im using G13, but there are just as many people commenting in those threads with no issues so it doesn't necesarily support a generic problem. They also likely have adjusted their chemistry in that time for greater compatibility. I've had no problems at all. Of course Audi will say don't run it as they haven't invested in the R&D to back it.

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[MSq5]

Dude those posts are all like 15 years or more old. To be fair, im using G13, but there are just as many people commenting in those threads with no issues so it doesn't necesarily support a generic problem. They also likely have adjusted their chemistry in that time for greater compatibility. I've had no problems at all. Of course Audi will say don't run it as they haven't invested in the R&D to back it.

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Do you have any evidence of present safety of Red Line Waterwetter with G12? Why do you conclude that they have "adjusted their chemistry"? Any evidence of that beyond "I've had no problems." There was an objective test in that thread where one member actually added the product to a solution of water and G12, heated the mixture and observed and documented the formation of the precipitate. It was nasty stuff. Do we have any current testing of that type that would make me feel that, indeed, the formulation was changed? I'd like to see some objective evidence.

My '17 came with pink coolant, which I believe to be G12. I will make sure to switch to G13 in the future - Merc Racing heat exchanger on order, but many here are running G12.

[choppstixxx]

I will say that color does not necessarily determine which "G" variation it is, manufacturers differ between eachother. Regardless to be safe use G13 if your not sure if you have G13/G12, that's what I did and like I stated before I found a slammin' deal on Pentafrost E for $5 at Auto Zone. My tank had G12 printed on it, yet my owners manual said to use G13 FYI.

[djn876]

Do you have any evidence of present safety of Red Line Waterwetter with G12? Why do you conclude that they have "adjusted their chemistry"? Any evidence of that beyond "I've had no problems." There was an objective test in that thread where one member actually added the product to a solution of water and G12, heated the mixture and observed and documented the formation of the precipitate. It was nasty stuff. Do we have any current testing of that type that would make me feel that, indeed, the formulation was changed? I'd like to see some objective evidence.

My '17 came with pink coolant, which I believe to be G12. I will make sure to switch to G13 in the future - Merc Racing heat exchanger on order, but many here are running G12.

So just like all of the other people who had no issues in the threads you shared, I just have my own experience, that is my only 'evidence'. As is the same as all of the people who did claim to have some interaction. It is all anecdotal evidence, but not sure why people's experiences do not have issues are provided less weight in their experience than people that do.

I also never concluded anything, I said they likely would have adjusted their product. I don't work for them nor have I done chemical analysis between the two, however the assumption that a product manufacturer would not test or update their product over a decade and a half to ensure compatibility as new products come out to ensure their continued viability in their target market seems an unlikely business model.

The "test" performed was far from scientific, in a 'metal' container of unspecified alloy, that was contaminated with who knows what, doesn't provide a lot of scientific info. If there were pictures, they aren't there any more. Again, going back to why are the experiences of people running it without any issues for 100k miles as invalid data points, but a guy with torch and a cup is the only data point we need? Those experiences of real world application (which, for semantics, could be called "testing") should also be considered valid and therefore one could postulate that maybe there is another variable to consider that is causing an issue and not just simply the interaction of the two products since the results are not universal (manufacturing batches, system contaminants, etc.).

I'm done though, I get you won't use it and presenting both sides is fair and people should make up their own minds based on all the info out there, I just wanted to point out it is not a universal problem, and there are just as many instances of people running it long term with no problem.

The shop manual for my car says G13, so could be what is in there and could be more compatible, again as stated, just my experience.

[MSq5]

I appreciate the response above. I’m just an empirical evidence guy. To be fair, I can’t prove that the Royal Purple “Purple Ice” I use as a water wetter is immune from the issue. All I know about it is also anecdotal and that it mixes well with the G12 and G13. It may even have the same ingredients. I don’t know. I just raised the concern because it is well-documented that at one point in time Red Line Water Wetter was definitely incompatible with G12. If you say it works fine with G13, that’s good enough for me.