Caravanners should perhaps check the label on their coolant when topping up their tow car, as a new survey suggests many motorists confuse it with screen wash.
According to research by Kwik Fit, six in ten drivers don’t know the difference between screen wash and engine coolant, while a fifth have confused the two in the past.
Putting screen wash in a car’s engine, or coolant in the screen wash area, could have disastrous consequences for the engine and the vehicle’s bodywork.
Even those who know their coolant from their screen wash admit to ignoring the mixing instructions on the coolant label, often adding it undiluted to their engine and risking internal corrosion.
Ian Fraser, chief executive at Kwik Fit, said: “It’s easy to mix these two fluids up, particularly as they often look similar in consistency and colour.
“Similarly, motorists can quickly come to grief by adding the wrong type of coolant or failing to dilute it.
“What’s worrying is the lack of awareness amongst motorists of how doing so can inflict serious damage to their cars.”
