Coolant — Replacement (Opel Zafira A)

The work must be carried out in accordance with the maintenance regulations (see "Periodic maintenance"). The cooling system uses a special cooling liquid based on ethylene glycol (antifreeze). As a rule, high-quality antifreeze is sold as a concentrate, which must be diluted with distilled water in a certain ratio before pouring. The proportions are usually indicated on the packaging.

Warning! Dilute antifreeze with distilled water in advance (before filling the cooling system). This is the only way to ensure that the specified ratios of antifreeze and distilled water are precisely observed.

Replace the coolant when the engine temperature is no more than +40°C to avoid burns.

Sequence of execution

1. Prepare the car for work (see "Preparing the car for maintenance and repair").

2. Prepare a container for draining the coolant with a capacity of at least eight liters. If the liquid is not drained for replacement, the container must be clean.

3. Using a slotted screwdriver, unscrew the radiator drain valve of the cooling system by several turns. In this case, from the radiator drain nipple (indicated by the arrow) the coolant will drain.

Recommendation: Before unscrewing the drain valve, attach a rubber hose with a diameter of about 10 mm to the drain nipple and lower it into a container prepared for draining the coolant. This will help to avoid contamination and loss of coolant (if it is not drained for replacement).

4. Close the drain valve of the cooling system radiator.



5. Prepare the coolant (see above) and slowly pour it into the expansion tank of the cooling system (see "Checking the levels of technical fluids").

6. Screw on the expansion tank cap and start the engine. Check for coolant leaks (see "Cooling system - technical condition check").

7. Stop the engine and after it has cooled down, check the coolant level and, if necessary, top it up to normal (see "Checking the levels of technical fluids").