Green Dex-cool!?

studly · October 30, 2003

I had my '98 Blazer in for a new alternator which

was replaced.

The dealer also said the coolant was low and they

topped if off and added a dye to help find any leaks.

About five hours later, I'm driving home and a

radiator hose pops off and leaks green coolant

all over the street.

I take the Blazer back. They reattach the hose

with a new clamp and charge me $42 for two

gallons of Dex-cool. The total bill was $90+.

Out of curiosity, I check the coolant. It is still

green. Should two gallons of Dex-cool (normally

orange) look green?

I go back to the dealer and tell him that unless

Dex-cool is now green, I think they put the

wrong coolant in my vehicle. The bring out

the tech who worked on my Blazer most

recently. He says he used Dex-cool and that

the dye made it green. After some questioning,

he said they add a vial of fluorescent yellow dye.

I'm still trying to figure out how mixing yellow

with orange makes green. Also, after replacing

virtually all of the dyed coolant, how is it

still green?

naskie18 · November 1, 2003

GM has two kinds of Dex-cool, there's orange amd greem, although the green looks a lot like a flourescent yellow I don't remember which kind the blazer takes. Maybe somebody on here with a blazer could pop the hood and take a look to ose what color thiers is. If it came wiht orange from the factory, then you should not put green in it, and if it came with orange and the dealer put green in it, they may have to flush the whole system and then refill with orange. I don't know the difference between the orange and green Dex-cools, but you can't mix them and they aren't substitues for one another, you've got to use whatever color was in there originally.

chev_tech · November 2, 2003

Green Dexcool?? dont think so.

studly · November 3, 2003

This Blazer definitely came with orange Dex-cool.

What color should Dex-cool be after adding a dye

to check for leaks?

There is an update to this story. A couple days

after this Chevy dealer reattached the radiator

hose with a new clamp and installed two gallons of

green "Dex-cool", the hose fell off again. It fell off

where they installed the clamp.

I called the dealer to ask what I should do.

He says, "we tightened it." Not too well, apparently.

They wouldn't even look at it until the following day.

They screw up the repair and they can't even

make a slot to get me right in. Nice service, huh?

Shadowfax · November 3, 2003

Sounds like you have the most incompetent service guys ever lol.

The dexcool should be redish orange, and I don't believe that dye should've changed the color to green. If I were you I'd take it to a reputable serviceman and have the rad flushed now and have your coolant properly put in. If dex cool is mixed incorrectly it can become a nightmare.

kdeatrick · November 3, 2003

Perhaps if the service manager doesn't react to your demanding a free coolant flush and change, Another GM Dealer could handle it and your Future Business.

I think GM and the B.B.B. would be getting a call on these guys! Perhaps if the service manager knows this they will correct it for you.

Squeaky wheel gets the oil! I would be very squeaky!

As for the color of Dex Cool, My '97 Blazer had the Orange Dex Cool.

My guess is they put the wrong stuff in.

I can't believe how much they charged to fix there scew up the first time!

MarkD · November 3, 2003

I had my '98 Blazer in for a new alternator which
was replaced.

The dealer also said the coolant was low and they

topped if off and added a dye to help find any leaks.

About five hours later, I'm driving home and a

radiator hose pops off and leaks green coolant

all over the street.

I take the Blazer back. They reattach the hose

with a new clamp and charge me $42 for two

gallons of Dex-cool. The total bill was $90+.

I don't think you should have had to pay anything!

naskie18 · November 3, 2003

I take the Blazer back. They reattach the hose

with a new clamp and charge me $42 for two

gallons of Dex-cool. The total bill was $90+.

I don't think you should have had to pay anything!

I'd take it back, talk to the Service Manager, if he's not interested then talk to the general manager of the dealership and get them to flush the system and refill it with the right Dex-cool. And this should be done at no cost to you, seeing as how it is their mistake that needs correcting.

If they still won't do it for you, take it elsewhere from now on and give a call to the BBB, and mention that you're doing both of these things to the general manager of the dealership.

Nick

studly · November 4, 2003

The dealer doesn't admit making a mistake. They say the

yellow dye made the orange coolant green (even after it

came out and was almost completely replaced by another

two gallons of "Dex-cool"! [four gallons if you count the

water in the 50/50 mix]). By the way, my cooling system

holds three gallons.

They claim they tightened that hose clamp that fell

off 3 days later.

And they apparently didn't feel there was any urgent

need to fix their hose clamp that fell off. They felt I

could wait a day.

I took my vehicle elsewhere to be flushed and

filled with genuine Dex-cool. It is orange now.

The guy who changed it said the old coolant

looked "just like the green coolant they put in

the older cars."

Shadowfax · November 8, 2003

Man you got lucky something didn't happen than what did happen. I don't know how long it takes for Dex to start gumming up when mixed with the green stuff, but when it does its a PITA on a grand scale.