Another coolant level question I’m sorry

[IronHorse87]

Good evening all,

my 3 year old is starting to express interest in engines and asked to see my gladiators. While showing him I noticed the coolant level looks pretty low as seen in image. I am at around 34500 Mile and 3000 miles in since my last dealer maintenance. no sign of leaks or anything off Engine was last run around 2 hours ago and is still warm to the touch. Outside temp is 84°. Waiting to see if it goes up as it cools. Is this level damaging? I know I need to add some but will have to order. Should daily driving continue until it arrives? Based on other post I have seen here on the subject with some early models should I get it inspected for internal issues.

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[Commodus]

Good evening all,

my 3 year old is starting to express interest in engines and asked to see my gladiators. While showing him I noticed the coolant level looks pretty low as seen in image. I am at around 34500 Mile and 3000 miles in since my last dealer maintenance. no sign of leaks or anything off Engine was last run around 2 hours ago and is still warm to the touch. Outside temp is 84°. Waiting to see if it goes up as it cools. Is this level damaging? I know I need to add some but will have to order. Should daily driving continue until it arrives? Based on other post I have seen here on the subject with some early models should I get it inspected for internal issues.

I don’t see it as damaging as long as your temperature gauge stayed in normal range. Definitely need to add, but would check the underside of the tank for signs of leaking and also the cap to make sure it was threaded on properly and/ or holds pressure

 

[Maximus Gladius]

That’s pretty low! It’ll only go down as it cools. Hope it isn’t going into the oil but you can check that with an oil analysis. Several members here use Blackstone Labs. Polaris Labs is another. The dealership has other tests they can do to check if coolant is in your oil but you can have the lab give you an absolute report, you can then take that in to your dealership and show them if it’s in there.

Also, check the connector up underneath the coolant bottle. Some have had the O ring in this connector crap out (including me) and the dealership will be more than happy to not only sell you the connector but the hose that’s attached to it (if you’re out of warranty).

 

[IronHorse87]

Thanks for the responses. I did check the cap but not under I will do that after this storm passes. Have noticed any high temps I check the instrumental panel frequently to make sure all is running well but I will def get the test. I’m still in warranty so good time to get it done.

 

[IronHorse87]

Traced the lines I could see no sign of leaks. That’s worriesome

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Traced the lines I could see no sign of leaks. That’s worriesome

Don't sweat it! At least not yet.
Did you pay attention to the level before? Have you noticed where it normally runs?
check it COLD - after it has sat over night.
I'd personally top it off with a 50/50 mix of the CORRECT OAT coolant and distilled water up to the seam on the tank or in that area. (when it's cool)
I would then take a sharpie and make a black dot where the level is after you filled it when cool.
Then drive it for a few days.
It will go up when it's hot or after having been driven, and will drop when cool.
It should drop back to your mark if it's roughly the same temperature as when you filled it or topped it off to the seam/mark.
using some in a year or two isn't alarming - you will lose some over a couple of years due to evaporation. These are not 100% sealed systems, so some is lost to evaporation over time.

(and sorry, I do not call that "pretty low" - it would only take a few ounces to get it into the normal range)

This is where I run all of mine - right around the seam, and you can see my black mark on the tank just to the left of the brake fluid reservoir.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I don’t see it as damaging as long as your temperature gauge stayed in normal range. Definitely need to add, but would check the underside of the tank for signs of leaking and also the cap to make sure it was threaded on properly and/ or holds pressure

Yes.
It's not "pretty low".
Yes, I would check the bottom fitting area for signs of a leak - crystals and stuff left behind by the evaporation of the liquid of the coolant as it seeps out the bottom fitting. It's not totally uncommon for a tiny leak or seepage there..

Nothing to get totally excited about. My 2020 got that low after a couple of years - evaporation and normal use. Once you exceed the 16 psi the cap holds (I think it's 16), then any higher pressure causes some heated air to escape with molecules of coolant. A few hot drives can cause loss over a couple of years - I needed to add about 1 cup in my 2020. I didn't add even that to my 2022, it stayed really very close to full.
My 2025 was marked after a week of driving so I could keep track of it.
That's a tiny tank - ounces low, not pints and quarts.

 

[Lost1wing]

Don't sweat it! At least not yet.
Did you pay attention to the level before? Have you noticed where it normally runs?
check it COLD - after it has sat over night.
I'd personally top it off with a 50/50 mix of the CORRECT OAT coolant and distilled water up to the seam on the tank or in that area. (when it's cool)
I would then take a sharpie and make a black dot where the level is after you filled it when cool.
Then drive it for a few days.
It will go up when it's hot or after having been driven, and will drop when cool.
It should drop back to your mark if it's roughly the same temperature as when you filled it or topped it off to the seam/mark.
using some in a year or two isn't alarming - you will lose some over a couple of years due to evaporation. These are not 100% sealed systems, so some is lost to evaporation over time.

(and sorry, I do not call that "pretty low" - it would only take a few ounces to get it into the normal range)

This is where I run all of mine - right around the seam, and you can see my black mark on the tank just to the left of the brake fluid reservoir.

I mark mine like that too. One day the level will be below the line and the next day it could be above the line, especially my Fords. Haven't paid close attention to the JT. I will once it has a problem pop up.

 

[Caveman]

To the above, I'd add that I think mine was under-filled from the factory (2020, built 8/19). I noticed at about 50K miles, when I did the routine service myself. The dealer I had been using allegedly did a check of all fluids at each service, but never topped the coolant off. I topped the coolant off about 10K miles ago, and it has stayed constant since then. When I changed the transfer case fluid at 60K, it was under-filled as well. So was the PS fluid reservoir. Both have remained at the correct level after topping off. There's a moral here somewhere, I'm sure...

 

[IronHorse87]

Don't sweat it! At least not yet.
Did you pay attention to the level before? Have you noticed where it normally runs?
check it COLD - after it has sat over night.
I'd personally top it off with a 50/50 mix of the CORRECT OAT coolant and distilled water up to the seam on the tank or in that area. (when it's cool)
I would then take a sharpie and make a black dot where the level is after you filled it when cool.
Then drive it for a few days.
It will go up when it's hot or after having been driven, and will drop when cool.
It should drop back to your mark if it's roughly the same temperature as when you filled it or topped it off to the seam/mark.
using some in a year or two isn't alarming - you will lose some over a couple of years due to evaporation. These are not 100% sealed systems, so some is lost to evaporation over time.

(and sorry, I do not call that "pretty low" - it would only take a few ounces to get it into the normal range)

This is where I run all of mine - right around the seam, and you can see my black mark on the tank just to the left of the brake fluid reservoir.

Thanks for the idea. It’s a 2023 so that fits your explanation. When I got it, I got a stupid good steal on a manufacturers warranty and some services. So I’ve been using those. But I think I will mark it as you suggested and make a note to check it monthly. I do like to flip through the gauges every week or so randomly to see if anything looks off but I was not very active in checking the coolant levels as frequently as I probably should. Thanks for the reassurance and suggestions I will check it in the morning, add some and mark it.

 

[IronHorse87]

To the above, I'd add that I think mine was under-filled from the factory (2020, built 8/19). I noticed at about 50K miles, when I did the routine service myself. The dealer I had been using allegedly did a check of all fluids at each service, but never topped the coolant off. I topped the coolant off about 10K miles ago, and it has stayed constant since then. When I changed the transfer case fluid at 60K, it was under-filled as well. So was the PS fluid reservoir. Both have remained at the correct level after topping off. There's a moral here somewhere, I'm sure...

I will definitely be checking the rest of the fluids tomorrow and marking as well!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

To the above, I'd add that I think mine was under-filled from the factory (2020, built 8/19). I noticed at about 50K miles, when I did the routine service myself. The dealer I had been using allegedly did a check of all fluids at each service, but never topped the coolant off. I topped the coolant off about 10K miles ago, and it has stayed constant since then. When I changed the transfer case fluid at 60K, it was under-filled as well. So was the PS fluid reservoir. Both have remained at the correct level after topping off. There's a moral here somewhere, I'm sure...

Mine were fine except the brake fluid on my 2025. It was so full when I pulled the cap, fluid came out the top. I ended up pumping out several ml of fluid.
The coolant was fine, PS fluid was fine.
I lowered the brake fluid, then marked it. Can see the huge syringe I used to pull fluid out.

For my 2022 - the PS was a tad low after driving it a week (likely the final air bubbles came out), the brake fluid and coolant were fine.

My 2020 was ok until I had the steering gear replaced under the TSB - the reservoir was empty after a day or two of driving so they hadn't purged all air.
I went back and they filled it to the full level and gave me the rest of the bottle of PS fluid.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I will definitely be checking the rest of the fluids tomorrow and marking as well!

This is a great UV black light to have that will spot your leak in a heartbeat if you have one. Use this light in total darkness and any coolant that’s leaked and dry will reflect very bright coloured.

 

[ross neill]

If the 3/36000 warranty is still available have dealer inspect it

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If the 3/36000 warranty is still available have dealer inspect it

That's fine - but there's really nothing to inspect at this point, at that age, and if he never noticed the level before, this could be a huge nothing.
Can save a trip to the dealer by filling it to the normal level, marking it, and watching it.
IF it continues to drop, then take it in (or check for leaks himself.
This is one of those things if you are going to a dealer, you'd better have your geese in a row because they are going to simply add coolant and send you on your way because there's no indication of a leak.

It's not actually that low for that age - unless it happened all at once or in the period of a month or less.

I'd never drive to a dealership with it at this point - fill, mark, keep an eye on it.
Then, if it goes down, you can tell them you put 10 ounces of coolant in it on 5-20-25, up to this mark, and it's been two weeks and it's down another 10 ounces.

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