Antifreeze topped up with wrong colour - advise anyone?

[Frrair]

Hi

I hope someone knowledgeable can answer a quick question please.

When my other half was filling her screen wash (3weeks ago) she saw the coolant level was down towards min ( the car was cold) so she added about a quarter of a mug of blue antifreeze plus water into it.

The car is an 9 month old Audi that uses red antifreeze, the coolant in the expansion vessel now is pinky red in colour, there doesnt look to be any thickening of it.

The car’s volume of coolant via Mr Google is about 10ltrs.

I have read they should be mixed the questions I have are
A, Is this small quantity going to make any difference?
B, Should I get it flushed out?
C, Should I just ignore it as no harm will be done.

I have bought the correct stuff now should I just top up using the correct stuff from now when it needs it?

Cheers for any help.
Ed

[lucido grigio]

A 1/4 of a mug will make next to no difference ,it's a tiny amount if the system holds 10 litres total....

[GreenV8S]

Frrair said:

(3weeks ago)

It really doesn't matter, and in any case whatever problems it was going to cause would have happened three weeks ago.

There are a few different types of antifreeze that don't complement each other very well and mixing them will generally give you something that is not as good as either on their own, but mixing a fraction of a cup of anything into the cooling system is not going to make enough of a difference to matter.

Also in your favour, blue antifreeze would probably have been traditional glycol based, which is quite harmless to mix with the other types.

[99hjhm]

More of a concern is why did it need coolant? Or was it that minimal?

It probably needs G12++ or +++ but most get away with any red antifreeze and it’s fine as few realise the differences. Like everything on the internet there are plenty of specialists offering advise that they have read on a forum.

The only case I had of antifreeze not mixing was in a Aston Martin DB7 V12 where a ‘supercar’ specialist used old fashioned green/blue antifreeze to refill and is instantly thickened, new radiator, heater matrix and hoses sorting this at great expense. The internet specialists will tell you only to use a Texaco AF that went obsolete years ago in these cars but in reality any OAT AF will do the job fine.

[Frrair]

Thanks for the responses folks,

I think it was showing on min as the engine was cold it wasn’t bleeping but she thought it a good idea to top it up.

I will sleep easy no harm done and just ensure we use the correct stuff from now.

Thanks for taking the time to help.

Oh & have a nice Christmas 🎄

[mybrainhurts]

I reckon you're doomed....

[Frrair]

mybrainhurts said:

I reckon you're doomed....

Undoubtedly

[stevieturbo]

Santa might fix it on Xmas eve.

Would be messier if she poured anti-freeze into the screenwash

[99hjhm]

stevieturbo said:

Santa might fix it on Xmas eve.

Would be messier if she poured anti-freeze into the screenwash

I took it as that skim reading the first post and thought interesting...

[Sheepshanks]

mybrainhurts said:

I reckon you're doomed....

I think he's set for life - a woman who can open a car bonnet and knows how to top up antifreeze. Whatever next?

[paintman]

Ah yes, but with the wrong antifreeze.
Just goes to show a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!

Mind you, it'll be his fault for not having bought the right colour one for it in the first place......