Quick answer
To find your car's coolant: Pick the coolant spec code printed in your owner's manual, and the tool lists the products whose manufacturers say they meet, exceed or are approved to that code. You can also search by vehicle make (using the maker's own application text) or by chemistry, but treat those as guidance only. Always confirm with your owner's manual before buying.
Key takeaways
- Your owner's manual is the authority. The spec code beats colour every time.
- Matches come only from each manufacturer's published claims, with no fitment guessing.
- Make and chemistry searches are guidance only.
- Open any product to read the exact claim wording and source.
- Share a search: the page address keeps your choice.
Where to find your coolant spec
Look in the owner's manual under Capacities and specifications, Fluids or Maintenance. Ford manuals, for example, list the coolant by part name and spec, such as "Motorcraft Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Prediluted VC-3DIL-B / WSS-M97B44-D2". European manuals often give a factory approval such as VW TL 774-G or Mercedes-Benz 325.x, and Japanese and Korean manuals usually name the factory coolant. No manual? Your dealer's parts desk can look up the spec from your VIN.
Write the code down exactly. Small suffixes matter: WSS-M97B44-D (concentrate) and WSS-M97B44-D2 (prediluted) are different Ford specs.
How matching works
Each product in our directory carries the spec codes its manufacturer lists on its product page or datasheet. When you choose a code, the tool returns every product that lists it. It does not judge whether a product is suitable. It shows what the maker claims, so you can check the wording and the label yourself.
| Search type | Reliability | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spec code | Best | The code is what the vehicle maker specifies, and the coolant maker states it directly. |
| Vehicle make | Guidance only | Matches the maker's own "designed for" text. Year ranges and model exceptions are in that text, not checked by us. |
| Chemistry | Guidance only | Same chemistry does not mean same spec or same additive levels. |
Use the tool
Choose one search type. Changing one clears the others, so results always reflect a single question.
Find my car coolant
Choose one way to search. The spec code from your owner's manual is the most reliable.
Verify with your owner's manual before you buy. Matches are based only on what each manufacturer publishes. Make matches use the manufacturer's own application text, and we make no year, make or model fitment claim.
About to top up with a different coolant?
Check compatibility →If nothing matches
An empty result does not mean nothing fits your car. It means none of the manufacturer pages we have indexed list that code. Some makers publish specs only on the bottle label or in a technical service bulletin. Ask the coolant maker whether a product meets your code, or buy the vehicle maker's genuine coolant from a dealer. Never assume a "universal" or "all makes" coolant meets your spec unless its maker lists that spec.
Common spec codes, briefly
- Ford: WSS-M97B44-D / -D2 (orange), WSS-M97B57-A1 (yellow), WSS-M97B51-A1 (older gold/yellow HOAT), ESE-M97B44-A (older green).
- GM: GM 6277M / GMW 3420 (Dex-Cool type). Older GM 1825M / 1899M are conventional.
- Chrysler / Stellantis: MS-12106 and MS-90032 (OAT), MS-9769 (HOAT), MS-7170 (older).
- VW Group: TL 774-C (G11), -D (G12), -F (G12+), -G (G12++), -J (G13), -L (G12evo).
- Mercedes-Benz: 325.0, 325.3, 325.5, 325.6 and others. MB keeps an official approved-products list.
- Japan: JIS K2234 is an industry standard, not a single OEM approval.
These codes are copied from the manufacturer pages cited in our directory. The meaning of each code is set by the vehicle maker. Check the current spec in your manual. See also G11, G12, G13 and G48 and OAT vs HOAT vs IAT.
Before you top up
If the system already contains a different coolant, mixing can reduce corrosion protection. Check with the mixing checker. A concentrate must be diluted, and the freeze and boil calculator shows the protection for each mix ratio. Never open a hot radiator or reservoir cap.
When to see a mechanic
See a qualified mechanic or dealer if you cannot identify the correct spec, if the coolant looks oily, rusty or sludgy, or if the engine overheats or loses coolant. A flush and fill with the correct coolant is safer than topping up with a guess. See coolant flush.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool tell me which coolant fits my exact car?
No. It shows which products their manufacturers say meet a spec code. Your owner's manual or dealer confirms what your exact vehicle needs.
Why is the make search only guidance?
Because it searches each coolant maker's own "designed for" text. That text can have year ranges and exceptions, and we have not verified fitment for any vehicle.
Is a universal coolant OK?
Only if its manufacturer lists the spec your manual requires. Some universal products list many codes, and some list none. Check the product page.
Why do some brands have few results?
Some manufacturer pages do not publish spec codes or block automated reading. See the directory's known gaps.
New to cooling systems? Start with how a car cooling system works. Looking for a product? Search the coolant directory or match your manual's spec with Find my car coolant. See also coolant by car make and coolants by brand.