Tools you need for coolant flush on a 2020-2024 Toyota Corolla
Easy · 1 to 1.5 hours including bleeding and a warm-up cycle · Updated 2026-09-14
Must-have tools
10 mm socket, 3/8 in drive
Plastic trim clip / push-pin removal tool
Spill-free coolant funnel with radiator cap adapter
Drain pan, 8 L / 2 gal minimum
Toyota SLLC pink pre-mixed coolant
Coolant service on the E210 Corolla is one of the friendliest jobs on the car. Everything you need is behind the plastic engine undercover: a handful of 10 mm bolts, some push-pin clips, and a hand-turn plastic drain cock at the bottom of the radiator. The cap is on the radiator itself, so you can fill and burp the system properly with a spill-free funnel instead of guessing through a pressurized bottle.
The two things people get wrong are coolant type and air. Use Toyota Super Long Life Coolant, pink, pre-mixed — not concentrate straight from the jug, and never a universal green. And because there is no block drain, you only get a bit over half the old coolant out in one go, so if it looks dirty plan on a second drain-and-fill later. Hybrid owners: the second reservoir up front is the inverter loop and it is a separate job that needs a scan tool to bleed. Leave it alone during a routine engine coolant change.
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Complete tool and parts list
Item
Type
Floor jack 1.5 ton minimum, low-profile Lift the front of the car to reach the undercover and drain cock.
Socket wrench 10 mm 6-point socket, 3/8 in drive, with ratchet and 3 in extension Removes the engine undercover bolts and the front splash shield fasteners.
Spill-free funnel kit Universal coolant funnel with Toyota/Asian radiator neck adapter Lets you fill and burp air out of the radiator without overflowing.
Coolant Toyota Super Long Life Coolant, pink, PRE-MIXED 50/50 — about 6 L (1.6 gal) for a full drain and refill The only coolant Toyota specifies for this engine; do not mix with green or orange.
OBD scan tool with Toyota active tests Techstream or equivalent (hybrid only) Needed to run the inverter coolant pump if you ever service the hybrid's second cooling loop.
Tooling is identical across 1.8 2ZR-FAE, 2.0 M20A-FKS and the hybrid: 10 mm undercover bolts, push-pin clips, hand-turn plastic radiator drain cock, Toyota pink SLLC. Only system capacity differs slightly between engines (roughly 5.5-6.5 L total). The hybrid adds a separate inverter/PCU coolant circuit with its own reservoir and electric pump, which is not serviced here and requires Techstream to bleed.
Torque specs
Radiator drain cock (plastic petcock)
Hand tight only — no tool, do not overtighten
Engine undercover bolts (10 mm)
verify in the service manual (snug, roughly 7-8 Nm / 65 in-lb)
Radiator cap
Hand tight to the second detent
How the job goes
Make sure the engine is completely cold. On a hybrid, also press the power button off and wait — the electric water pumps can run after shutdown.
Chock the rear wheels, lift the front of the car at the pinch-weld jack points and set it on jack stands, or drive onto ramps. Keep it reasonably level so the system fills correctly.
Remove the engine undercover: 10 mm bolts around the perimeter plus several plastic push-pin clips. Pop the clip centers up with the trim tool first, then pull the whole clip. Lower the tray and set it aside.
Place the drain pan under the driver's-side lower corner of the radiator. Locate the plastic drain cock on the radiator tank and, if you like, slip a short length of 3/8 in hose over its nipple and run it into the pan.
Remove the radiator cap (the cap is on the radiator itself, not the reservoir) so the system vents and drains quickly.
Turn the drain cock counterclockwise about two turns by hand. Let the radiator drain fully — expect roughly 3-4 L. Do not remove the cock completely; it can be hard to reseat.
Optional for a more complete change: release the lower radiator hose clamp with hose clamp pliers and pull the hose to dump more coolant, then reinstall it and make sure the clamp seats in its original groove.
Also drain the reservoir/expansion tank if it is dirty — siphon it out or unclip it and empty it, then reinstall.
Close the drain cock hand tight and reconnect anything you removed. Double-check the lower hose clamp.
Fit the spill-free funnel with the correct adapter onto the radiator neck. Pour in Toyota pink pre-mixed SLLC until the funnel holds an inch or two of coolant.
Start the engine (hybrid: press Start to READY and let the engine run; it may need the defroster or heat on full to force engine operation). Set the heater to maximum heat, fan on low.
Let it idle and warm up until the thermostat opens — you will see the level in the funnel drop and bubbles come up. Keep topping the funnel so it never runs dry. Gently squeeze the upper radiator hose a few times to help push air out.
Once the cooling fans have cycled on at least once and the level is stable with no more bubbles, blip the throttle a few times, then shut the engine off and let it cool somewhat.
Use the funnel's plug, remove the funnel, top the radiator to the neck and install the cap. Fill the reservoir to the FULL line.
Lower the car, drive it a normal warm-up cycle, then let it cool completely overnight and recheck the reservoir level. Top up as needed — it is normal to need a little more after the first drive.
Reinstall the engine undercover with its 10 mm bolts and clips. Take the old coolant to a recycling center.
If the old coolant came out brown or rusty, repeat the drain and fill after a few days of driving, or run a distilled-water flush cycle first, since no block drain means a single fill leaves old coolant behind.
Watch out
Never open the radiator cap on a warm engine — the system is pressurized and will spray scalding coolant.
On the hybrid, high-voltage components live under the hood. The inverter/PCU has its own coolant loop with its own reservoir near the front of the bay — do not drain it during a routine engine coolant change, and never mix the two loops up.
The inverter loop cannot be bled by idling; it needs the electric pump commanded on with a scan tool. Leave it to a shop unless you have Techstream.
Use only Toyota Super Long Life Coolant (pink) or an exact equivalent. Mixing it with conventional green or Dex-Cool style coolant can gel and clog the radiator and heater core.
Buy pre-mixed. If you buy concentrate you must mix 50/50 with distilled water only — tap water will scale the system.
The radiator drain cock is plastic and brittle on higher-mileage cars. Turn it by hand; if it will not budge, warm it and work it gently rather than forcing it with pliers.
Coolant is sweet-tasting and fatal to pets. Clean up every drip and store waste sealed.
There is no block drain plug on 2ZR-FAE or M20A-FKS, so a single drain-and-fill is a partial change, not a flush.
The 10 mm undercover bolts, plastic radiator drain cock, radiator-mounted cap and Toyota pink SLLC are correct for all E210 Corollas; exact coolant capacity varies by engine (roughly 5.5-6.5 L for a full system) and the undercover bolt torque should be verified in the service manual for your specific trim.
Frequently asked
How often does a 2020-2024 Corolla need its coolant changed?
Toyota specifies the first change of the Super Long Life Coolant at 10 years or 100,000 miles, then every 5 years or 50,000 miles after that. Check the level at the reservoir at every oil change regardless.
How much coolant does an E210 Corolla take for a drain and refill?
A simple radiator drain takes roughly 3-4 liters back in; total system capacity is about 5.5-6.5 liters depending on engine. Buy two gallons of pre-mixed pink SLLC so you have enough for topping off and for a second fill.
Is there an engine block drain plug on the 2ZR-FAE or M20A-FKS?
No. Those engines have no accessible block drain, so a drain from the radiator petcock removes only about 55-65% of the coolant. If the old fluid is discolored, do a distilled-water flush or repeat the drain-and-fill after a few hundred miles.
Do I need to do anything special for the Corolla Hybrid?
The engine cooling loop is drained exactly the same way. The hybrid also has a separate inverter/power control unit loop with its own reservoir and electric pump — don't drain it as part of this job, because bleeding it requires commanding the pump on with Techstream or an equivalent scan tool.