2003 Town & Country repeated repairs for same leak?

HOLLYC29

MEMBER
2003 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY
95,000 MILES

I have a 2003 Chrysler Town & Country that the heat stopped a few weeks ago, the blower only worked on the high setting and there was a reddish-brown spot on my garage floor.I took it in to Castrol Oil change place for an oil change and told them about the heat/blower issue and spot on the floor. They looked in the engine and said the coolant was very low. They added antifreeze and the heat started but still only on high. Took it to the local Dodge dealer. The replaced a resistor relay and the manifold ($700+). Still leaking brown liquid. Took it back. Now the leak is from a loose tensioner pulley ($100+). Still leaks brown fluid. Took it back now they tell me that the brown liquid is antifreeze and I need a new water pump ($300+). Can this be?

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,738 POSTS

You have a bunch of completely unrelated problems. First you have to determine where the coolant is leaking from, assuming it even is coolant. Some newer coolants are red but so is automatic transmission fluid.

The resistor has nothing to do with a leak. Sometimes they overheat and burn open when the heater fan becomes tight and draws excessive current.

What was the symptom that required replacement of the manifold? Intake manifold I assume? That would have nothing to do with a coolant leak. Same for a spring-loaded tensioner pulley. That's a mechanical part that holds the serpentine belt tight. There is nothing to leak related to that part.

If the water pump is indeed leaking, $300.00 seems a little high for a 3.3L engine. You should be able to see that leakage yourself from underneath but it is kind of hidden by a plastic splash shield at the right front corner of the engine bay. If you have the 3.0L engine, $300.00 is too low for replacing the water pump. That one involves removing the timing belt, but those pumps don't leak or fail very often.