Inspection and Verification

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2011 Mercury Milan, 2011 Lincoln MKZ, and 2011 Ford Fusion. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Always allow the engine to cool before opening the cooling system. Do not unscrew the coolant pressure relief cap when the engine is operating or the cooling system is hot. The cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come out forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.

NOTE: Always fill the cooling system with the manufacturer's specified coolant. Chemically flush the cooling system if a non-specified coolant has been used. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHING in this service information. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.

NOTE: The engine cooling system is filled with Motorcraft® Specialty Green Engine Coolant. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolant types degrades the corrosion protection of the coolant. Failure to follow these instructions may result in engine or cooling system damage.

NOTE: Genuine Motorcraft® Specialty Green Engine Coolant is very sensitive to light. Do NOT allow this product to be exposed to ANY LIGHT for more than a day or two. Extended light exposure causes this product to degrade.

NOTE: Vehicles have the pressure relief cap on the degas bottle and no radiator cap.

Verify the customer concern.
Visually check the engine coolant level at the degas bottle when the system is cold.
Make sure the pressure relief cap is installed correctly.
Record any cooling system DTCs retrieved. Refer to the PCM DTC TABLE in this service information for DTC descriptions.

NOTE: Take note of any coolant odor or steam coming from cooling system components.

If the system coolant is filled correctly and no DTCs associated with fail-safe cooling are retrieved, verify the customer's concern by operating the engine to duplicate the condition.

NOTE: For the coolant flow diagram, refer to ENGINE COOLING in the Description and Operation portion of this service information.

Visually inspect for obvious signs of any mechanical or electrical damage.

VISUAL INSPECTION TABLE

Mechanical	Electrical
Leaks or weeps at: Hoses Tubes Clamp joints Gaskets O-rings Thermostat housing Radiator Pressure relief cap Heater core (wet floor or coolant odor in vehicle) Degas bottle Coolant crossover Cylinder block core plugs Cylinder head core plugs Auxiliary coolant flow pump Block heater (if equipped)	Inoperative or damaged: Electric cooling fan Wiring, connectors, relays or modules Cylinder Head Temperature (CHT) sensor
Cracked or damaged:
Hoses Tubes Hose clamps Thermostat housing Radiator Pressure relief cap Cooling fan Coolant pump Degas bottle Cylinder block core plugs Cylinder head core plugs Auxiliary coolant flow pump Block heater (if equipped) Restricted airflow through the A/C condenser/radiator Excessive white or light gray exhaust smoke (may have burnt coolant odor) Coolant in engine oil Engine oil in coolant

If the inspection reveals an obvious concern that can be readily identified, repair it as necessary. Test the system for normal operation.

Inspect the coolant condition in the following sequence:
1. Inspect the coolant appearance.
  - If the coolant has a clear or pale green color, this indicates higher water content than required. Test the engine coolant freezing point range with the Coolant/Battery Refractometer. The freezing point should be in the range -50°C to -26°C (-58°F to -15°F). If the vehicle is driven in cold climates less than -37°C (-34°F), it may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration to get adequate freeze protection. Recommended coolant concentration is 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water.
  - Reddish brown particles indicate that rust may be present in the cooling system. Flush the system and refill with the correct mixture of distilled water and the correct engine coolant.
  - An iridescent sheen on top of the coolant could indicate a trace of oil is entering the system. For information on engine diagnosis, refer to ENGINE SYSTEM - GENERAL INFORMATION article.
  - A milky color may indicate that engine oil is entering the cooling system. Pressure test the cooling system. Refer to COMPONENT TESTS in this service information. If engine oil is suspected, the cause of the leak may be internal to the engine. Refer to ENGINE SYSTEM - GENERAL INFORMATION article.
2. If the engine coolant appearance is acceptable, test the engine coolant freezing point range with the Coolant/Battery Refractometer. The freezing point should be in the range -50°C to -26°C (-58°F to -15°F). If the vehicle is driven in cold climates less than -37°C (-34°F), it may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration to get adequate freeze protection. Recommended coolant concentration is 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water.
  - Maximum coolant concentration is 60/40 for cold weather areas.
  - Minimum coolant concentration is 40/60 for warm weather areas.
3. Adjust coolant range and level if necessary:
  - If coolant is low, add specified coolant mixture only.
  - If the engine coolant tests too weak, remove some of the engine coolant and add undiluted engine coolant until the readings are within acceptable levels.
  - If the engine coolant tests strong, remove some of the engine coolant and add distilled water until the readings are within acceptable levels.
If an obvious cause for an observed or reported concern is found, correct the cause and test the system for normal operation before proceeding to the next step.

NOTE: Make sure to use the latest scan tool software release.

If the cause is not visually evident, connect the scan tool to the Data Link Connector (DLC).

NOTE: The Vehicle Communication Module (VCM) LED prove out confirms power and ground from the DLC are provided to the VCM.

If the scan tool does not communicate with the VCM:
- check the VCM connection to the vehicle.
- check the scan tool connection to the VCM.
- refer to MODULE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK -- FUSION, MILAN & MKZ article, No Power To The Scan Tool, to diagnose no power to the scan tool.
If the scan tool does not communicate with the vehicle:
- verify the ignition key is in the ON position.
- verify the scan tool operation with a known good vehicle.
- refer to MODULE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK -- FUSION, MILAN & MKZ article to diagnose no response from the PCM.
Carry out the network test.
- If the scan tool responds with no communication for one or more modules, refer to MODULE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK -- FUSION, MILAN & MKZ article.
- If the network test passes, retrieve and record continuous memory DTCs.
Clear the continuous DTCs and carry out the self-test diagnostics PCM.
If the DTCs recovered are related to the concern, go to the PCM DTC TABLE . For all other PCM DTCs, refer to ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROLS - FUSION HYBRID, MILAN HYBRID & MKZ HYBRID article.
If no PCM DTCs related to the concern are retrieved, GO to SYMPTOM TABLE .