Can You Still Drive When the Coolant Level Warning Light Comes On?
2 Answers
When the coolant level warning light comes on, you should not continue driving. The warning indicates that the car's coolant is insufficient or the radiator temperature is too high. Continuing to drive may cause the engine temperature to rise further, leading to engine damage. To avoid unnecessary losses and for safety reasons, it is not recommended to keep driving. If the coolant warning is due to the engine overheating, it is advisable to pull over, keep the engine running at idle, open the hood to allow it to cool down until the temperature warning disappears. If the issue is insufficient coolant and you don't have coolant to refill immediately, you can add an appropriate amount of distilled water (soft water). Do not use tap water or other hard water, and do not add too much, as it can alter the coolant's boiling point.
Last time I encountered a coolant warning light on the highway, that sudden little red light on the dashboard really gave me a scare. I immediately pulled over to check and found the coolant reservoir was nearly empty. This situation is most dangerous because it can cause engine overheating and cylinder scuffing - cast iron engines may deform if temperatures exceed 110°C. For short commutes of just 2-3 kilometers it might be manageable, but you must keep watching the temperature gauge and stop to cool down when the needle reaches the midpoint. I remember two years ago when Uncle Wang in our neighborhood stubbornly kept driving, only to have white smoke pouring from his engine halfway - the major repair cost him over 8,000 yuan. In an emergency you can add purified water, but at the repair shop you must completely replace it with new antifreeze - mixing different colored formulas can cause crystallization and clog the cooling system.
