My 2010 had the Gold coolant, when it came time to change it was very confusing as what to go with. 2011's thru 2014 used the orange coolant but reading into it there was recommending using the yellow. I went with the orange but still wonder if I should have used the yellow.
Motorcraft Orange — 2011 to 2018
The blue oval brand has been using its Orange OAT coolant since 2011 but it has now been completely cut out of circulation. Motorcraft’s Orange Organic Acid Technology (OAT) coolant did not have any Phosphates or Silicates and offered better heat transfer. The coolant was offered with a 5-year/100,000 miles protection interval but the product was plagued by fallout and protection issues which the company addressed in the latest phosphate-based Yellow coolant.
Motorcraft Yellow — 2018+
The all-new Yellow P-OAT coolant is similar to the Specialty Green P-OAT coolant Ford introduced in some of its models in 2009. The new product was first introduced in 2018 and was designed to offer better performance than its predecessor, especially in extremely cold temperatures.
Motorcraft Yellow Coolant Backwards Compatibility
Transitioning from the Orange to the new Yellow coolant is pretty straight forward because the new product is backward compatible. Customers running the Orange coolant and even the Specialty Green coolant can top off their systems with the new Yellow P-OAT coolant. It is recommended that customers use the new P-OAT coolant for motors that have an internal water pump like the 3.5-liter Cyclone engine.
The P-OAT coolant can also be used after a drain but a complete flush will offer the best results. The new Yellow coolant does react with the calcium and magnesium present in tap water so make sure to use distilled water with it. The protection interval of the new Yellow P-OAT coolant is rated at 10 years or 200,000 miles.
