W124 500E Coolant Color - Is Pink Correct?

[dinbirb]

I’m currently replacing the upper radiator hose on and I noticed that the car currently has pink coolant in it

I wanted to ask if this is how it's supposed to be

 

[silver50]

Yes it is but I’m not sure you can get it anymore. I’m changing my thermostat and have bought the newer coolant from MB. I think it’s blue. If you’re coolant is aged you might be best try and flush the old coolant to the best of your ability- it’s not easy to flush every drop, and buy the new stuff.

Apologies in advance if I have the posted this about it with the colours the wrong way around! I’m yet to open the new container but I think my old stuff was pink.

 

[gsxr]

Original coolant in the 90's and 00's was G-05 which is yellow.

G-05 was replaced/superceded to G-48 (Blue) per this TSB in 2012.

G-40 (Pink) is the newest used by Mercedes, and should be fine, but isn't required for 90's vehicles.

 

[Surf Blau]

I have owned Mercedeses from 1966 to 2015 and never seen neither yellow or pink from factory - could there be a difference between markets?

From my experience:
-> mid 90s: Blue
-> 2010ish: Greenblue
-> ?: Red

 

[GRAEME JOHNSON]

I am with Surf Blau on this, in the UK we had blue coolant for the older cars which Mercedes no longer supply
The red/pink OAT? was for newer cars
A lot of people say not to use the red/pink on older cars
I was going to see if a BMW dealer still supplies blue coolant glycol? for their older engines
Graeme Johnson

 

[gsxr]

I wonder if USA had different Colors vs ROW?

Yellow / G05 was used into the 2000's.
Blue / G48 showed up somewhere around 2010-ish, give or take a few years.
Pink / G40 is required in newer cars.

AFAICT these are ALL acceptable for use in our 1990's engines, HOWEVER, I would not mix them. If changing, flush out all traces of the old stuff. This will require filling the system with water, and getting the engine to operating temp (thermostat open) with the heater on max, draining, and repeating 2-3x before refilling.

Put another way, it's a different question as to what the factory fill was, vs if a newer / different coolant is "correct".

 

[captruff]

I wonder if USA had different Colors vs ROW?

Yellow / G05 was used into the 2000's.
Blue / G48 showed up somewhere around 2010-ish, give or take a few years.
Pink / G40 is required in newer cars.

AFAICT these are ALL acceptable for use in our 1990's engines, HOWEVER, I would not mix them. If changing, flush out all traces of the old stuff. This will require filling the system with water, and getting the engine to operating temp (thermostat open) with the heater on max, draining, and repeating 2-3x before refilling.

Put another way, it's a different question as to what the factory fill was, vs if a newer / different coolant is "correct".

Dave:

You mean fill and drain system 20-30X not just 2-3X

Jeff

 

[gerryvz]

As far as I know, the yellowish-straw-color G-05 and the blue G-48 are actually compatible and can be used together, but I would advise exclusively using one or the other in the E500E. Preferably I'd use G-05, as that is the original spec stuff, and it is readily available.

Many of the McFLAPS stores don't carry G-48 on their shelves, although my local NAPA store does. I just bought a gallon of concentrated G-48 about two weeks ago and diluted it with distilled water for my 2007 E-63 AMG, which needed about a cup (8 oz) of G-48.



ChatGPT is the new the @gsxr here.....

Although it said exactly the same things that I said above.....

 

[gsxr]

No need for ChatGPT. Just click the Mercedes service bulletin I linked back in post #2. It states that G48/Blue is nitrite-free, while G05 is only "low" nitrite. And yes, they can be mixed, but remember that Yellow+Blue = Green.

Who wants Green antifreeze in their 036? Bueller...? Cascade will be all over that like a moth to a flame.

 

[Surf Blau]

I am with Surf Blau on this, in the UK we had blue coolant for the older cars which Mercedes no longer supply
The red/pink OAT? was for newer cars
A lot of people say not to use the red/pink on older cars
I was going to see if a BMW dealer still supplies blue coolant glycol? for their older engines
Graeme Johnson

I haven't tried to source coolant from Mercedes (fluids in particular are prohibitively expensive at the dealer here in Norway), but recently found blue coolant for my W201 at an aftermarket supplier. A friend of mine swapped for red coolant in his W124, but as far as I know that was for performance issues as his E280 has twin-turbos and a *ahem* healthy amount of hp. My 190D will stay with the OEM-look (when it comes to coolant at least).