Long ago, car owners would just put straight water into the radiator of their cars. Water worked alright, but there was one problem. Well, actually two. The temperatures at which water froze and boiled were simply to close together. Driving on a hot summer day or trying to start you car on a cold winter morning could result in a host of problems. To overcome this, coolant was developed.
Coolant for the cooling system in your car comes under many brand names. Notwithstanding this, every product has one of two chemicals in it. The vast majority are comprised of 95 percent ethylene glycol. When you mix these products in a 50/50 mix with water in your car, you are effectively reducing the chance of a freeze or boil over. The ethylene glycol prevents the water from boiling or freezing at any temperature you are likely to run into. If you live in Siberia, however, all bets are off on the freezing problem!
There is one problem with ethylene glycol. It is very toxic. The Environmental Protection Agency has done studies and put out big warnings on the chemical. Why? When ingested, it causes depression, respiratory failure, heart attacks, kidney damage and brain damage. Other than that, it is fine!
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