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Can you use water as coolant?

I’m in the middle of nowhere on a road trip and my car is overheating. Help! Can you use water as coolant or am I out of luck?

avatar
Bonnie Stinson · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Oh no! In an emergency situation, yes, you can use water in your radiator instead of coolant.
If you have water in your car, go ahead and use it in your radiator. Pull over and wait for the engine to cool down before removing the radiator cap and topping up.
If you are driving in a very hot area, the water may heat up very quickly. You may need to pull over occasionally and turn the car off to allow everything to cool down. In a very cold area, you should not use water because it could immediately freeze.
The good news is that water can help cool down your radiator long enough to get you to a repair shop or auto supply shop.
But this is an emergency fix, not a long-term solution. Water will eventually rust your cooling system, and it could even expand in heat and crack the engine block. This is especially true if you are driving in a very hot area.
As soon as you can, make your way to a supply shop to purchase some coolant or antifreeze. Do not continue the rest of your trip with just water in the radiator! You could
breakdown
if you do.
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