GM extends Dexcool limit to 6 years

[Snagglefoot]

Here is an excerpt from the 2024 3/4 ton Silverado owners manual. The time limit for changing the Dexcool coolant has been upped to 6 years from 5. Sounds like they refused to to go to 10 years years like some Prestone products. Probably good advice. The change actually showed up in the 2023 owners manual.

 

[eljefino]

Sounds like an arbitrary line, like making timing belts a 105k service so the first 100k is cheaper, maintenance-wise.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

...And in other news, GM announces the expected engine life in new vehicles using Dexcool is 150,000 miles or 6 years, whichever comes first.

 

[Leo99]

Hard to guess what the data shows. I know the pharmaceutical world, if we have 3 years of data showing the drug is stable, we'll extend to 4 years expiration period and keep testing. Although, some countries want real-time data. Maybe GM only has 6 years worth of data and they'll extend to 7 years next year. Or maybe the data looked good at 6 years and looked a little sketchy at 7 years so they capped it at 6 years.

 

[ls1mike]

I have Dex in everything. Except for the Cam swap on the WS6. I have never drained it. I did the Cam swap at 22,000 miles in 2006. So the coolant has been in there that long. The vehicles with the dry intakes are really easy on the coolant.

...And in other news, GM announces the expected engine life in new vehicles using Dexcool is 150,000 miles or 6 years, whichever comes first.

 

[bullwinkle]

I have Dex in everything. Except for the Cam swap on the WS6. I have never drained it. I did the Cam swap at 22,000 miles in 2006. So the coolant has been in there that long. The vehicles with the dry intakes are really easy on the coolant.

Keep it topped off, keep the air out of the cooling system, seems like Dex will last as long as the Asian coolants do-almost indefinitely. (although I still do a radiator drain & fill yearly).

 

[JHZR2]

I have Dex in everything. Except for the Cam swap on the WS6. I have never drained it. I did the Cam swap at 22,000 miles in 2006. So the coolant has been in there that long. The vehicles with the dry intakes are really easy on the coolant.

I still have Dex in my 98 S-10 with old school 4.3 and diagonal neck radiator. But I do change it on the years metric…

 

[GMBoy]

Interesting - I never saw a recommended replacement interval for the hood struts until this!

 

[nickaluch]

Original dex in my 2007 G6 beater just topped off once in the reservoir

 

[4WD]

This fall - was able to get a gallon from the radiator plug on our 2017 Tahoe - so just put back AC Delco Dexcool concentrate to get maximum corrosion protection - what drained out looked like new …
(Factory fill) … Guess I was already on the new plan …

 

[2EHA]

ford (outside of NA) always had it as a 10 year coolant since it came out in the 90s

no surprise

 

[CorvairGeek]

Interesting - I never saw a recommended replacement interval for the hood struts until this!

It can't be a failure if it is maintenance in the owner's manual. GM was always shockingly slow to figure this one out, IMHO.