Coolant is a tad low on our Pacifica. Is Mopar coolant the only game in town? For my Jeep (also Chrysler) Zerex makes G-05 coolant they claim to be good for 2006+ Chrysler vehicles. It's the right color, but I bought it 4 years ago or something. Don't want to contaminate the system.
Coolant type?
Mastiff
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Yes, I learned something trying to help you all out. I didn't know temp could be a factor in color either.
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Chrysler is trip'n,,
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Screw it At this point it's funny😜😄
I've also wondered about the correct coolant color. Most I've seen are purple, but I've also seen many that appear to be orange. Our 2018 looks like a dirty orange (60K miles), but my sister-in-law's 2019 looks like a clean purple (46K miles).
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Welcome to the confusion that's what all this is about..I have the '18 as well with 49k miles and is a dirty burnt orange when it should be purple. I like to think as it ages it turns more orange I'm just not sure as the more I dig into this the more confused I get. The best thing to do I guess is go to the dealership and get the gallon, just open it and look at the color.. sigh***....
The coolant in my 2017 Pacifica looked orange (which seemed normal from the factory as I recall) but still requires the purple OAT Mopar 10 year/150,000 miles recommended coolant. I just bought what was listed by Mopar for my van and the added purple Mopar coolant has been fine. Post 48 explains it. Orangish OAT was put in at the factory and the service department sells compatible purple OAT.
I realize that people were used to going by the color in the past and not wanting to pay more than needed. Check the manual to see what is required if you want to get a different brand, not just the color.
More extensive owner's manuals can be downloaded from the Mopar website if desired.
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Yes on my '18 Paci with 50k miles it looks a little more orange than purple but still a faint purple. I think it turns more orangy over time (my opinion). Went to the dealership looked at 4 brand new ones with 5 miles on them popped the hood and all purple. '17-21 Pacificas all take the purple MS-12106 (should be a sticker on the coolant recovery bottle next to the fill cap). I wouldnt wait 10yrs or 150k miles to drain it that's to long. Do your car a favor, pull the drain plug flush and refill. Use a whole new gallon (not the 50/50 premix) with new distilled water...
Dont use that Prestone junk for the New Pacificas no matter what is says. The 90032 number is superceded by the newer MS-12106 (PURPLE ONLY). If i'm not mistaken there is MS-12106 written on a label on all the coolant recovery bottles. Simply go the the dealership and spend $10 more for a the real Mopar gallon.. Mixing even sligtly different coolants can make for a nasty mixture in your cooling system making sludge, and clogging junk over time that can ruin the entire engine... Not worth saving $10.
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So it must have changed colors or the color doesn't matter or there is more than one color of OAT compatible coolant for the Pachy. Take your pick. None of that matters. Color just doesn't matter.
ONLY the spec matters. MS.90032 or MS-12106 are both OAT coolant "Types" specified for my 2018 Pachy and mixing them is not an issue. Mixing what was originally put in my Pachy with the new purple MS.90032 is not an issue either. Although when I purchased the MS.90032 spec coolant concentrate at the dealer, part# 68163848AB, (purple in the jug and purple when diluted with distilled water), I became concerned with the color difference. I have put my anxiety to rest with the overwhelming evidence of research and the absolute word of my dealer's service, parts and sales departments, that adding this coolant will not cause any problems.
Because?
Color doesn't matter. The spec is all that matters.
SO... Whatever color the coolant was when it was installed in my Pachy at the factory and whatever color that same coolant is now is irrelevant.
So my suggestion is to buy a gallon of concentrate from the dealer and ignore the color. Dilute it with distilled water to the label instructions of 50 to 70% antifreeze. Use it to top off your reservoir (not above the FULL line), and don't be scared into early unnecessary flushing by the color in your reservoir, or pictures of clogged cooling systems, or pictures of HOAT coolant that happens to look the same color as the coolant in your reservoir. .
Why???... Because Color Doesn't Matter. Only the Spec matters.
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Model Year:
2017 & 2021
Gas / Hybrid:
Gas
Trim:
Touring L
What's wrong with using the 50/50 premix that I bought (for topping off) at our local Chrysler dealer?
Model Year:
2021
Gas / Hybrid:
Gas
Trim:
Touring L
There is nothing wrong with using premix it's actually just more convenient. If you buy the concentrate you still need to mix it 50/50 with water.
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393 Posts
Interesting stuff, this organic coolant.
OK, if you are trying to identify the coolant by color, look at these unmodified photos of the MS.90032 concentrate purchased from the dealer (see jug in background), diluted 50/50 with distilled water and in a clear jug viewed with a white light shining on it from different angles. Do you see your color here? This is a liquid with some pretty novel optical properties. Color doesn't matter, the spec matters.
![Image]()
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And without the flash light.
![Image]()
OK, if you are trying to identify the coolant by color, look at these unmodified photos of the MS.90032 concentrate purchased from the dealer (see jug in background), diluted 50/50 with distilled water and in a clear jug viewed with a white light shining on it from different angles. Do you see your color here? This is a liquid with some pretty novel optical properties. Color doesn't matter, the spec matters.
And without the flash light.
I think the older it gets the more orange it looks. On the New 2021's at the dealer its bright purple and on my '18, 54kmiles it leans towards orange.. MS-12106 replaces the 90032. Don't put anything else in all Pacificas 17-21other than the Dealer MS-12106. This is 10 yr 150k mile stuff so unless you have a leak this stuff lasts awhile..
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MS.12106 is the pre-diluted form of MS.90032. Same stuff.
You just pay more for the convenience of prediluted. My dealer only stocks the concentrate MS.90032. $22 per gallon .
Did you wind up using that Prestone?
It's funny on my '18 Touring L 54k Miles I just drained the coolant to do a premature coolant change and it's definitely orange like tomato soup, not purple like the new pacs on the lot. I'm wondering if it turns orange as it ages or if the Factory put something else in, hmmmm... On the recovery bottle it says MS 12106 but that's the diluted when the Ms 90032 is the concentrate to achieve 50/50 mix... I'm wondering if I should still get the purple at dealership to refill!!
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Did you figure that out?Great... anyone have an explanation for why my coolant is not purple?? Bought a prior rental with 12,000 miles on it.
What are my options if this is the wrong stuff....
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The Ms12106 is the prediluted, the 90032 is the must add water, . If you do a drain and fill I'm assuming you'll need the 90032.
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The purple is the same stuff. See the pictures of the new stuff (Ms12106 or 90032) in my post #73. Depending on how the light shines on the new stuff, it can look purple or exactly like your picture here. Perhaps you're right and it looses its ability to look transparent purple as it ages, but for sure, the new stuff can look exactly like your picture above in the right light.It's funny on my '18 Touring L 54k Miles I just drained the coolant to do a premature coolant change and it's definitely orange like tomato soup, not purple like the new pacs on the lot. I'm wondering if it turns orange as it ages or if the Factory put something else in, hmmmm... On the recovery bottle it says MS 12106 but that's the diluted when the Ms 90032 is the concentrate to achieve 50/50 mix... I'm wondering if I should still get the purple at dealership to refill!!
In answer to your question, I would get the 90032 at the dealer as it is cheaper and a sure bet to be compatible.
Ok so I just did the "Total" drain and fill,, actually drained and filled 3 times, drove 5 miles each time with 2 gallons distilled water each drain and fill, 6 gallons total to flush ALL of it out with the thermostat opened at 190 degrees so not just the radiator, drains block and heater core that way to.. Ordered 2 gallons of the MS-90032 (Concentrate) Mopar from Amazon, $28 each. The 12106 is the diluted but nontheless both can be mixed and completely compatible together. The "entire" cooling system is 13 quarts dry or 3.2 gallons. Doing the math after last flush I put in 1-1/2 gallons of pure antifreeze concentrate 6 quarts, and 1/4 gallon distilled water to achieve a 50/50 coolant mix for the whole system. When you remove the radiator drain plug roughly 2 gallons comes out of the radiator and the other gallon and a half is back in the block you have to account for.. Drove it 5 miles and did a prestone syringe test and voila 50/50 perfect mix...(In case anyone is interested in flushing!!).
Yes the brand new 90032 concentrate coolant is almost totally purple with a hint of orange so in my recovery bottle now shows totally purple rather than what I drained which was totally orange and was orange in the recovery bottle prior at 54k miles.. Final analysis is as it ages it simply turns way more orange... I think this might solve all this confusion between the colors and yes even at different angles it leans back and forth but the newer is way richer purple. Recommendation: Don't wait 10 years or 150kmiles to do drain and fill as I think the properties in the liquid with cooling and cleaning break down..
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