Toyota Vios 9 years old done 48k service regular service. Noticed the coolant looks empty but nobody, including Toyota ever mentioned filling it up.. Oli change last week at Cockpit they never mentioned it but did a couple of other things. Should I bother filling it up and do you need to drain it off, if there is any first, and which to use, presumably pre mixed solution?

See if your rad is full if not fill with distilled water. 

Check your coolant expansion container and see that it is filled to upper line, if not fill you can top up with coolant fluid or 50 coolant & 50 distilled water.

Monitor any loss of coolant until satisfied there is no great loss between service intervals.

 

Coolant should be flushed and replaced every 3 years as the additive package is less effective over time. Think corrosion inhibitors, anti rust, etc.

I buy premixed from the HD truck shops to keep the overflow tank between MIN and MAX lines.

ATF flush and replace 3 years also - unless CVT then do it more often than even the manufacturer suggests. And use OEM fluid - Toyota in a Toyota, Honda in a Honda, etc.

Brake fluid should be flushed and replaced every 2 years, as it pulls water right out of the air and gets contaminated. If equipped with ABS find a shop which can cycle the solenoids during flushing to remove fluid trapped there.

Looks completely empty so better order some and just fill it up, thanks. 

5 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

Looks completely empty so better order some and just fill it up, thanks. 

What is empty? the expansion container or the whole system? You won't be able to drive very far with a leaky radiator.

Top up with tap water as and when needed!

9 year old Vigo, no problems ever.

 

Please explain your confusion John G

Do not top up with tap water    use distilled or deionised water , tap water can contain lots of minerals that will cause fur or scale to build up in the radiator which could cause a lot of problems.

Water from a good filter system might be OK then

Reverse osmosis filtered water would have less minerals so less chance of fur and limescale.

This is a decent video for a complete change of coolant. So it seems you top of the reserviour the the max mark, top up the radiator and let the engine a bit (may not be required as its only topup). He uses a 50/50 pre-mixed coolant. Looks pretty straight forward. 

Just done it, there was about half an inch left in the tank, hard to see

I understand the lubricant, but given the blocks and heads are generally aluminum, what is the point of the anti-rust, the freeze plugs? 

 

To check the radiator lever make sure the engine is COLD.

 

To check the level in the overflow tank, make sure the engine is HOT.

 

The plastic expansion tank on my MY14 Wildtrak sprung a leak. Lost about a liter of coolant over about three really hot days. Replaced the tank (thanks lazada) and bought a couple of liters of Motorcraft pre-mixed orange coolant (thanks lazada). About a thousand baht the lot.

 

No labor charge so I treated myself to an early cold beer.