Coolant change and dealers

[adallak]

I am reading a Carfax report for a 1999 Eldorado where pretty extensive service records are included. Looks like the car was maintained regularly by a local dealer. They changed FUEL FILTER twice but NEVER mentioned coolant change! Okay, an owner of a Cadillac may not realize that regular coolant change is vital for Northstar engine, but how about dealers? They must know that coolant change is MUCH more important than fuel filter. Check this out:

http://www.carfax.com/cfm/ccc_DisplayHisto...6EL12Y7XU610974

[Cadillac Jim]

No, most dealers do NOT understand the importance of coolant changes. The vast majority of the cars serviced at dealers are not at or beyond the five-year specified period from date of manufacture of the car. So far as I know, there's never been a service bulletin about coolant changes, either; it's printed right in the owner's manual an on the anti-freeze bottle so I wouldn't expect that a service bulletin would be needed. Since cars in which this would be an issue are essentially all out of warranty, it's an owner issue.

A coolant change may not be done by the dealer since they are so simple to do. Something like coolant changes can be done by a service station or in the owner's driveway. Ask the owner.