GILBERT drivers rely on their vehicle’s coolant system to keep their engine cool. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your vehicle engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the coolant/water mix circulates back through the engine to absorb more heat.

There’s a reason we mix coolant and water. Water alone actually does a good job transferring heat from the engine. 
The problem is that water boils at a temperature that’s easily reached inside your vehicle’s engine, so it can turn to steam which does not conduct heat as well and is harder to contain.

Also, if it’s freezing outside in GILBERT, the water in your engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the AZ cold.

So, if you remember your high school chemistry, you’ll know that a mixture has both a higher boiling point and a lower freezing point than either component alone.


Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in and around GILBERT.


Whenever your vehicle is running, the coolant in the cooling system is working to keep your engine from overheating. When it’s cold outside, the coolant acts as antifreeze to keep the fluid from freezing in your engine.

All that exploding fuel in your engine creates a lot of heat. 
Without coolant, the metal vehicle engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running. The parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced. It could even be so bad that the whole vehicle’s engine is ruined and has to be junked.

This is why it is critical that GILBERT drivers check coolant levels frequently and have their vehicle’s cooling system inspected for leaks. Also your vehicle has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check your owner’s manual or ask us at APA Total Car Care in GILBERT.

The reason GILBERT drivers need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the radiator and other vehicle cooling system components. Over time, the additives are depleted and 
the coolant just has to be replaced.

Many GILBERT auto owners ask our advisors at APA Total Car Care why there are different colors of antifreeze. It is very important that you use the correct type of antifreeze. The different types of antifreeze – or coolant – are different colors so you don’t mix them up.

They use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them.


So check with us at APA Total Car Care in GILBERT or your owner’s manual for the right kind because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your vehicle cooling system.


APA Total Car Care

22325 S Scotland Ct Ste 101, Queen Creek, AZ 85142

480-282-8300

https://apatotalcarcare.com/

A person wearing a grey Los Angeles Dodgers 2024 World Series Champions t-shirt stands against a plain grey wall.

Andrew Harris

Andrew Harris grew up in the bays of Automotive Excellence, the Seal Beach repair shop his father Joe opened back in 1981. When he officially stepped in as owner in 2005, Andrew carried on the family tradition with the same philosophy: deliver reliable auto care built on honesty and craftsmanship. What began as one small shop has grown into two Seal Beach locations, giving local drivers dealership-level service with a family-run feel.


Under Andrew’s leadership, Automotive Excellence has earned AAA Approval and built a team of ASE-Certified and Master technicians. From hybrid diagnostics to precision alignments, auto electrical repairs, and everything in between, his crew uses cutting-edge tools and training to tackle today’s most complex vehicles.


For Andrew, cars are only part of the story. He sees customers, vendors, and employees as neighbors first, and works to make every interaction built on trust and respect. Whether he’s sharing maintenance tips online or talking through a repair at the counter, his goal is to make car care clear, stress-free, and dependable for the Seal Beach community he proudly serves.

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