Driving without coolant: what are the consequences?

You think saving and do you prefer to wait before refilling coolant? Moreover, are you thinking of replacing it with water? Stop immediately because you risk serious injury engine ! In this article, we will explain all the consequences if you are driving without coolant!

🚗 Can you drive without coolant?

As the name suggests, coolant is used to cool the engine. Without it, your engine heats up to extreme temperatures. Although this overheating is gradual, it only takes a few minutes for your engine temperature to become critical.

Depending on the weather conditions, you can work without coolant for 10 to 15 minutes: count 20 minutes in winter and less than 10 minutes in summer when temperatures exceed 30 ° C.

Good to know : If you are going to the garage, you can add water to reduce the damage. But keep in mind that this will have very little effect on the cooling of your engine, because the water evaporates very quickly!

🔧 What are the risks and consequences if you drive without coolant?

Without coolant, the cylinder head gasket is at risk. Unlike your engine, this part cannot withstand extreme overheating. If it deteriorates from the heat, oil will flow out of it.

This way, the oil will no longer properly lubricate your engine parts like valves and cylinders. They will rub and fail very quickly. In short, the engine will most likely break down very quickly.

Also note that coolant leaks can corrode the pulleys and rollers, which in the worst case can lead to a broken timing belt.

To avoid this sometimes irreversible damage, your cooling system must be in perfect working order. How? "Or" What? Checking its level regularly and not forgetting to change the coolant if necessary.

On average, the cooling system needs to be changed every 30 kilometers. But it depends on the composition of the liquid used. If your coolant is mineral-based, its optimal performance is around 000 years compared to 2 years for organic products.

One last piece of advice: you will realize that driving without coolant is a risky decision for your engine. So first of all, don't wait to take a look at the mechanics. You can use our an automatic quote calculator to find out the exact cost of replacing the coolant for your vehicle.