A guide to using antifreeze in the winter
Friday 31st January 2025
Not sure what antifreeze is? Can’t remember the last time you topped it up? Want to keep your warranty?
Continue reading to find out our antifreeze tips to ensure safe and prepared travel during winter.
Why regular car checks are important
National Highways revealed that most winter car breakdowns come from tyre-related issues (19.1%), but it’s often down to a lack of preparation for car journeys where bigger problems arise.
You trust your car to be safe, reliable and always ready. But it’s the end of the world when you can’t travel from A to B. It’s bad enough with frostbitten fingers and an extra 20 minutes added to your journey but it can be worse if thorough checks aren’t made, and your car isn’t usable.
In particular, if the water in your car’s cooling system is frozen, you risk serious damage to the components of your vehicle.
It’s critical to check your vehicle is ready for any journey. But there’s also a general rule of thumb to check engine coolant at least twice a year – before summer and winter.
Are antifreeze and coolant the same thing?
Antifreeze and engine coolant are similar, both contain ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, but antifreeze is much more concentrated than engine coolant. Both are essential for your engine and you must follow your manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure you use the correct ones. You can read more about them here.
Extreme temperatures affect your engine condition, so it’s fundamental to ensure levels for both are checked regularly and topped up if necessary.
Not sure how to do this? Visit your local Formula One Autocentres and we can check the levels for you as part of our free Winter Safety Check, which also includes checking tyre pressure, wipers and exhaust condition. Find your nearest Formula One Autocentres to book in now.
What does antifreeze do?
It does what it says on the tin – well, bottle – it prevents the engine from freezing.
If only water was used as a coolant and the temperature dropped drastically, the water would freeze and wouldn’t be able to circulate through the engine. Pure ethylene glycol (antifreeze) has a lower freezing point than water, although it can still freeze. When water and antifreeze are combined the freezing point of both are lowered because the molecules within the resulting coolant cannot crystallize.
However, it’s crucial antifreeze and coolant levels are maintained throughout the year, not just in winter. Antifreeze also raises the coolant’s boiling point to prevent your engine overheating.
It also protects your engine from corrosion, aids heat transfer and prevents a build-up of rust.
Can I mix antifreeze?
In short, no. Mixing coolants which aren’t compatible with each other, or aren’t suitable for your car, can cause serious damage.
If you need to add antifreeze in an emergency situation – whether you’ve bought a second-hand car, finished the last bottle of coolant or generally can’t remember what was used last time – use a high-quality universal coolant which is safe to mix with other fluids.
How do I get rid of antifreeze?
Usually, if the antifreeze has become discoloured, or the consistency is sludgy, contains sediment, or smells a bit odd, it’s time to replace it.
Improper disposal of this concentrated liquid can kill. If antifreeze seeps into groundwater or rivers, it can be extremely harmful to the environment, people and wildlife. You shouldn’t pour it onto the ground, down drains or the toilet and you must not throw the antifreeze in the bin.
Disposal instructions and safety information are provided by the manufacturer – check your bottle for specific advice.
Some recycling centres and local garages will also provide safe options for disposal of your antifreeze or coolant.
Still unsure of how to check your car throughout winter? Want to know what antifreeze is best for your car? Pop into your local Formula One Autocentres branch to ask any questions and book a free winter safety check.
