Anyone top off coolant at 5,000 mile maintenance?

In case someone is deep diving into this, I should add that we see around 100 days of over 100 degrees. Low elevation. Normal traffic. Tacomas saw less than 5,000 miles per year , 4Runners saw 10,000-12,000 per year.

 

I flushed and re-filled my coolant about two years ago. After a few normal drives the level stabilized between the full line at the top and the midpoint of the coolant bottle when the engine is fully warmed up. It does vary a bit to a little higher in the hot weather, and a bit lower in the winter: maybe 2-3 inches each way at times, If it's a real scorcher out, it expands more and makes it to the full line. I have never had to add any coolant or top it off, and it's never at or near the "low" line.

If you have to constantly add coolant to top it off from the low line, something is wrong.

 

Checking it once doesn't really yield much useful info

Check it every few days for a month and you'll know if you have a problem or not

 

This seems to be the correct answer. I have been checking several times and the level is ranging from halfway between F and L and bottom of L.

 

Noticed mine was low too around the time I did an oil change (maybe 4000 miles?). Also noticed it was low on a new Tundra a coworker has had for about 4 months. He's never opened the hood. Took it in for his 5k service the week prior and they never topped it off. Good to know what dealership NOT to get work done at since that should have been topped off.

I picked up a gallon of the pink Aisin stuff from Napa and topped it off. Level hasn't moved since. If you figure millions of cars per year, and you shave 500ml of fluid off every fill, that's a lot of fluid saved.

Yes, the dealership will top it off but time is money. Cheaper just to have a gallon on hand to avoid the soul sucking human degradation that comes from entering a dealership for any reason.

Here's what I got. They always have coupons if you look.

AISIN Cooling System Antifreeze 1 gal (US) AIC ACT002 | Buy Online - NAPA Auto Parts