Richardgil

With all of my cars I frequently check the oil level and coolant level, I always have. With my 2012 LS checking the coolant level is difficult because of the engine cover. It seems to me that removing the cover to get at the coolant reservoir is more of a deal than I want to get into on a regular basis. With a flashlight you can get a slight side view of the reservoir, but you can’t add coolant if you want to.
Any experience with this? The cover is attached to the air intake, which makes it difficult to remove.
Thanks

roadfrog

With a funnel, it's easy. That's how I added coolant. No need to remove anything.

Richardgil

My question may be better put this way : Must you remove the engine cover to add coolant?

jkittlesen

roadfrog is from Canada and can be difficult lots of snowflakes fall up there!

You do not have to but it is an easy process, plus it is good to check other components!

Richardgil

If you don’t have to remove the cover, then how do you add coolant with the cover on? Thanks

roadfrog

LOL. I thought I was being clear when I answered "NO NEED TO REMOVE ANYTHING". Maybe my Canadian accent is getting lost in translation.

So.......to reiterate....no need to remove the engine cover. If you look under the cover, you'll see the expansion tank. A funnel will reach it. You can even remove the reservoir cap without removing the cover.

But hey....if ya WANNA remove the cover, go ahead. But be forewarned, it MAY add an additional 26.7 seconds to the job.

Richardgil

Thanks. I love cars but am not real good at working on them, but love to play around, for years changed the oil did lube jobs, plugs, thermostats etc. At this point if I don’t have to remove the cover it’s good with me.
Looks to me that you almost have to be a contortionist to get the cap off of the reservoir with the cover on. If you get the cap off what do you do wiggle a hose from a funnel into the reservoir to add coolant?
Help me!
Thanks

roadfrog

Well, I didn't say it wasn't tight. LOL. But yeah...you just need to reach under there and unscrew the cap. Then insert the funnel and pour carefully and slowly. I did it MANY times (because I had a water pump leak that took me a while to sort out).

Richardgil

Thanks. I’ll try it. Goes without saying, as much as I love the car, bad design. Should be as accessible as windshield washer reservoir and the add oil cap.
Thanks.
With my luck, I’ll drop the cap and lose it putting it back on.

roadfrog

You'll be fine. Just use one hand to hold up the cover and the other hand to remove cap. If you'd rather, remove the cover. It's easy. I just could never be bothered. I do have small hands....but that's a whole other issue.....

Richardgil

Just to clarify, on the 2012 LS the part of the engine cover that is over the reservoir is attached to air intakes, it doesn’t just lift off when you take the pushpins out. That is primarily why I didn’t want to get involved in removing the cover.
I don’t know if the other years of the LS models have attached covers over the reservoir.