[Alwaysdutch]

I noticed last weekend that the coolant in the reservoir on the passenger side in quite below minimal level. The reservoir in the front seems to be fine. Anyone has seen the same thing?

 

[Diego1025]

I noticed last weekend that the coolant in the reservoir on the passenger side in quite below minimal level. The reservoir in the front seems to be fine. Anyone has seen the same thing?

Yes I just saw that last weekend on mine..

 

[Nik]

I noticed the same before going in for my 10k service. Even after the service my fluid level is below the min bar..

 

[freedomgli]

coolant in the reservoir on the passenger side

You're probably referring to the Engine Coolant Reservoir assuming you live in the USA and drive a LHD car.

This is all covered in the Owner's Manual. Relevant portions are quoted below.

Checking Levels

Engine Coolant Fluid

If the level is too low, unscrew the cap of reservoir and add the fluid described in the "Technical Specifications" chapter.

DEALER SERVICE

Cooling System

Warning!

You or others can be badly burned by hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If you see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never open a cooling system pressure cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.

Keep hands, tools, clothing, and jewelry away from the radiator cooling fan when the hood is raised. The fan starts automatically and may start at any time, whether the engine is running or not.

When working near the radiator cooling fan, disconnect the fan motor lead or turn the ignition to the OFF mode. The fan is temperature controlled and can start at any time the ignition is in the ON mode.

Coolant Check

Your vehicle has two cooling systems and they both need to be checked to ensure they are at proper fill levels. Refer to the “Engine Compartment” section for the locations.

Check the engine coolant and intercooler coolant level every oil change or before long trips.

If there are impurities in the engine coolant, the system must be drained, flushed and refilled: contact an
authorized dealer.

Check the front part of the condenser to check for any build-up of insects, leaves or other debris. Should it be dirty, clean it by spraying delicately with water.

Check the hoses of the engine/ intercooler cooling system to ensure that the rubber has not deteriorated and that there are no cracks, tears, cuts or obstructions in the expansion tank side and radiator side connectors. Should there be any doubt regarding leaks from the system (e.g. if frequent top ups are
required), have the seal checked at an authorized dealer.

With the engine off and at normal operating temperature, check that the cooling system radiator cap is closed properly.

Warning!

Do not open hot engine cooling system. Never add engine coolant (antifreeze) when the engine is overheated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to cool an overheated engine. Heat causes pressure to build up in the cooling system. To prevent scalding or injury, do not remove the pressure cap while the system is hot or under pressure.

Do not use a pressure cap other than the one specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or engine damage may result.

Note: Before removing the coolant reservoir cap, wait for the system to cool down.

Topping Up / Draining / Flushing The Engine/Intercooler Coolant

If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty, have cleaning and flushing carried out at an authorized dealer.

See the "Maintenance Plan" for the correct servicing intervals.

Note:
For topping up, use a fluid with the same characteristics as those indicated in the "Fluids And Lubricants" table (see "Technical Specifications" chapter).

Do not use pure water, alcohol-based coolants, corrosions inhibitors or additional anti-rust products because they may be incompatible with the engine coolant and cause the clogging of the radiator. The use of propylene glycol-based coolant is also not recommended.

Engine Cooling/Intercooler System Cap

To prevent loss of engine coolant, make sure that the expansion tank cap is closed. If it is open, screw it completely until you reach/hear the click.

Periodically check the cap and clean it from any foreign bodies that may have deposited on the external surface.

Warning!

Never add coolant with the engine hot or overheated.

Do not attempt to cool an overheated engine by loosening or removing the cap. The heat causes a considerable increase in pressure in the cooling system.

To prevent damage to the engine, only use the engine cooling circuit caps provided.

Disposal Of Used Coolant

Disposal of engine/intercooler coolant is subject to legal requirements: contact the appropriate body to determine local regulations.

Note:
To prevent the fluid from being ingested by children or animals, do not keep it in open containers or pour it on the ground. If ingested, contact a doctor immediately. Eliminate any traces of fluid from the ground immediately.

When the vehicle stops after a short trip, steam may be seen coming out from front of the hood. This is a normal phenomenon which is due to the presence of rain, snow or a lot of moisture on the surface of the radiator.

With engine and system cold, do not top up with coolant beyond the maximum level indicated on the
reservoir in the engine compartment.

FLUID CAPACITIES
2.0T4 MAir Engine

Engine cooling system 2.2 Gallons 8.6 Liters

Intercooler cooling system 1.1 Gallons 4.3 Liters

Chassis Lubrication

Use: Engine coolant

Features: CUNA NC 956-16, ASTMD3306

Specification: MS.90032

Applications: Use rate50% Not mixable with different formulation products. (*)

(*) For particularly harsh climate conditions, a mixture of60%product and40%distilled water is recommended.

 

[Diego1025]

These are my current levels! Purchased mine on 12/22/17 and currently has 2900 miles on it

 

[billeee]

For low mileage vehicles it's possible that there was some air trapped in the cooling system when the car was assembled which gets "burped out" after running a while. This will drop the reservoir level. Once the air is out the reservoir level should not drop further if there is no leak.

 

[lockem]

OK, the specs reference ethylene glycol based antifreeze solutions, but do not specify the corrosion inhibitor type. The various inhibitors are NOT chemically compatible. OATS versus mineral based. Petronas makes 4 different formulas that meet the specs but that should not be mixed with each other. So what is the right coolant to use with this car?

 

[AlfaCrisis]

2017 Owners Manual, page 254, specs “CUNA NC 956-16” “ASTMD 3306”, meeting “MS.90032”, use rate 50% (harsh 60%), no mix with other products.

MS.90032 is the current (post-2012) spec Mopar OAT. Part numbers seem to be:

“StarParts Tech states the following info:
1 Gallon - 68163848AA (concentrate) 68163849AA (50/50); MOPAR® Antifreeze/Coolant 10 Year/150,000 Mile Formula OAT (Organic Additive Technology) or equivalent meeting the requirements of Chrysler Material Standard MS.90032”

It seems this is the Purple OAT, which replaced the Orange (factory fill) or Pink (OTC) OAT in earlier Mopars. A specific warning against mixing the two is mentioned, suggesting the combination might gel. Be aware that some Mopar dealers mistakenly suggest MS.12106 (Orange) is compatible with MS.90032 (Purple), this seems most common at Jeep and Dodge dealers.

Lockem, I don’t see a Petronas Coolant that meets this standard. The “11” and the “UP” are both meeting older and incompatible standards. I didn’t see another listed, so for now, Mopar fluid is the easy choice (meeting MS.90032), but I’m sure there are aftermarket option. The trick is finding and verifying them.

 

[EricVonHa]

There is a TSB for a turbo O-Ring seal that may need to be replaced. There could be a sloooow weep.

Check the TSB thread for further details.

 

[hkfears]

It seems this is the Purple OAT, which replaced the Orange (factory fill) or Pink (OTC) OAT in earlier Mopars. A specific warning against mixing the two is mentioned, suggesting the combination might gel. Be aware that some Mopar dealers mistakenly suggest MS.12106 (Orange) is compatible with MS.90032 (Purple), this seems most common at Jeep and Dodge dealers.

Let me understand. So, if I top off the orange (from the factory) with the purple (from the dealer), this combination might gel?

 

[EricVonHa]

Matching the factory specified coolant is important. Any mixing of other stuff could lead to a Breaking Bad scenario.

 

[AlfaCrisis]

Let me understand. So, if I top off the orange (from the factory) with the purple (from the dealer), this combination might gel?

The factory fill, starting with 2013’s, should be Purple (possibly excepting some Jeeps). The Orange factory fill was 2012 and before.

 

[hkfears]

The factory fill, starting with 2013’s, should be Purple (possibly excepting some Jeeps). The Orange factory fill was 2012 and before.

The color is a light orange. See
http://www.giuliaforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=58977&d=1520348805

 

[lockem]

2017 Owners Manual, page 254, specs “CUNA NC 956-16” “ASTMD 3306”, meeting “MS.90032”, use rate 50% (harsh 60%), no mix with other products.

MS.90032 is the current (post-2012) spec Mopar OAT. Part numbers seem to be:

“StarParts Tech states the following info:
1 Gallon - 68163848AA (concentrate) 68163849AA (50/50); MOPAR® Antifreeze/Coolant 10 Year/150,000 Mile Formula OAT (Organic Additive Technology) or equivalent meeting the requirements of Chrysler Material Standard MS.90032”

It seems this is the Purple OAT, which replaced the Orange (factory fill) or Pink (OTC) OAT in earlier Mopars. A specific warning against mixing the two is mentioned, suggesting the combination might gel. Be aware that some Mopar dealers mistakenly suggest MS.12106 (Orange) is compatible with MS.90032 (Purple), this seems most common at Jeep and Dodge dealers.

Lockem, I don’t see a Petronas Coolant that meets this standard. The “11” and the “UP” are both meeting older and incompatible standards. I didn’t see another listed, so for now, Mopar fluid is the easy choice (meeting MS.90032), but I’m sure there are aftermarket option. The trick is finding and verifying them.

Thanks for the info, but

Reference post #5 of this thread: the car comes filled with orange coolant. MacGeek says it is Petronas coolant, and the information he provides is pretty reliable.

CUNA NC 956-16 and ASTMD 3306 seem to just specify an ethylene glycol base (not a lower toxicity xxx-glycerin base). It appears that MS.90032 is the key spec to meet. I don't think the color matters, it is what is on the package label that matters. At least one source says each mfg uses a different color so that the origin of the coolant can be identified. In any case, I would trust the MS.90032 spec to be necessary and sufficient. I'll probably have to hit up the Dodge dealer for it, then find out that their parts markup is just as bad as Alfa's.

I guess with modern coolants mixing different formulations is a big no-no. What happens 10 years from now when they no longer make the original formula?
Having killed a Toyota 4Runner with coolant issues, I'm now sensitized to the issue.

 

[AlfaCrisis]

Thanks for the info, but

Reference post #5 of this thread: the car comes filled with orange coolant. MacGeek says it is Petronas coolant, and the information he provides is pretty reliable.

CUNA NC 956-16 and ASTMD 3306 seem to just specify an ethylene glycol base (not a lower toxicity xxx-glycerin base). It appears that MS.90032 is the key spec to meet. I don't think the color matters, it is what is on the package label that matters. At least one source says each mfg uses a different color so that the origin of the coolant can be identified. In any case, I would trust the MS.90032 spec to be necessary and sufficient. I'll probably have to hit up the Dodge dealer for it, then find out that their parts markup is just as bad as Alfa's.

I guess with modern coolants mixing different formulations is a big no-no. What happens 10 years from now when they no longer make the original formula?
Having killed a Toyota 4Runner with coolant issues, I'm now sensitized to the issue.

Yep, it's sucking alright. I couldn't find a Petronas coolant avaiable to us here that met MS.90032, just ones that meet MS.12106. As for the colors, that's a complete mess. I know Peak advertises that it's "Yellow" coolant won't change any factory coolant color, for instance. The Paraflu Up meets MS-12106 and CUNA NC 956-16 and ASTM D Type 1. Paraflu 11 seems to be the non-OAT and Paraflu HT is OAT but doesn't list any MS. spec and doesn't list ASTM D at all.

Here's the fun note from the TSB for a few years ago: "NOTE: If OAT (MOPAR P/N 68163848AA Purple) has been Mixed with HOAT (MOPAR
P/N 68048953AB Pink Or Factory Fill HOAT Orange (Fig. 2) or (Fig. 3)) or any
other coolants have been mixed, it will be necessary to flush the cooling system."

OK, so having read that, you search the 68163848AA part number and keep getting jugs of coolant that meet MS.12106...so I have no freaking idea what the heck we should do now. The one clear fact is that the "AA" letters identify OAT coolant and the "AB" letters identify HOAT coolant, and never the twain should meet.

 

[Bosox2018#]

I will just go to the dealer when my fluid gets low, it's not complicated.

 

[AlfaCrisis]

The color is a light orange. See
http://www.giuliaforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=58977&d=1520348805

I can't disagree, mine's orange too! However, everything I can find says it should be purple...so I'm gonna start calling orange purple and hope for the best?

Well now, just found an old story with some interesting notes:

"Chrysler, the last of the Detroit 3 car makers to use a silicated antifreeze, has switched to an organic acid technology (OAT) formula for the 2013 model year. The change to an “OAT” might have been anticipated with the acquisition by Fiat, but the Chrysler-selected OAT formula, although it shares a major inhibitor, is not the same as used by Fiat.

The new antifreeze replaces G-05, a low-silicate BASF formula (called a “hybrid OAT”) made in the U.S. by Zerex (Ashland Inc.)...

Neither Chrysler nor Fiat has released the complete composition formula for their antifreezes. They reportedly are cocktails of three organic acids, featuring sebacate, but no 2-ethylhexanoate (2-EHA). The latter is a cost-effective but controversial additive that softens plastics, particularly silicone, leading to leaks from affected sealing materials, which means that silicone cannot be used in gaskets, O-rings, and hoses if the antifreeze contains 2-EHA.

The dye color of antifreeze has nothing to do with antifreeze formula or performance. Chrysler’s G-05 contains orange dye to distinguish it from a yellow dye antifreeze previously used. Other users of G-05 have yellow or even blue dye. However, GM DexCool, a purely organic acid type, also has orange dye, and this has been a source of service industry confusion. Fiat’s OAT, although a different formula, also has orange dye...The new Chrysler OAT, however, will have a purple dye.

Petronas Lubricants is the Fiat supplier. CCI Manufacturing will provide the Chrysler OAT."

So, if this holds true, the orange color is correct for Alfa, but our top-up coolant might very well be purple (can anyone confirm this yet?). And, for another note, I looked more closely at the package picture for the Amazon search for "68163849AA", and the result was a jug with the part #"68163848AB", or the old HOAT coolant that will possibly gel our OAT coolant...nice work Amazon.

 

[hkfears]

On the Jeep forum, they state "There is not a coolant that has the ms-90032 spec on it. So the right stuff is the MS 12106 OAT."

 

[lockem]

So what did they put in Simey's QV after his encounter with a rock?

 

[hkfears]

I can't disagree, mine's orange too! However, everything I can find says it should be purple...so I'm gonna start calling orange purple and hope for the best?

Orange is the new purple. I'm planning to go by the dealership this week and get a quart. Details will follow.