Coolant leak?

Tiny
ANONYMOUS
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 DODGE STRATUS
  • 15,000 MILES
I need a solution. So I have smoking coming from a hose, running out of my coolant tank. Which makes it seem like my car is on fire! Also my heater is blowing ice cold. The check engine light went off yesterday? I'm thinking coolant leak? I got coolant/anti freeze no dilution needed. I had to put it in twice. My main question is how much does this usually cost to fix! I'm a woman so I'm lost when it comes to car problems. Also the smoke smells sweet!
Sunday, December 30th, 2012 AT 2:41 AM

30 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
Did it overheat?? it sounds like you may have damaged the head gasket from this issue.

This guide can help us see what's going on

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Sunday, December 30th, 2012 AT 2:45 AM
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
Sounds like you need a hose replacement. Hoses get brittle with age and coolant. The heater blowing cold air means there is a air lock not letting the collant to cirulate. Sounds like a easy fix for a garage to do or you can have someone do it for you. Must have to make sure what hose is leaking. The sweet smell is the anti freeze. Reread your post, have the radiator cap tested it may not be holding back the pressure from the system letting it go to the overfill
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Friday, September 22nd, 2017 AT 10:20 AM
Tiny
DRIFTY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2005 DODGE STRATUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 118,000 MILES
I am loosing coolant but have never saw any leaks. The only place I have ever seen coolant is above the strut on passenger side and the hood above the strut. There seems to be a small port there that points up and it must only do it while driving because even with the hood up and engine hot and idle I havent saw any coming out there
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Honestly, it sounds like the waterpump may be leaking and coolant is getting on the serp belt and flinging on the hood.

Look at the waterpump. On the bottom there is a seep hole. When the seal or bearing goes bad in the pump, that is where it will leak. Check for evidence of coolant.

Let me know what you find.
Joe
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
Go to someplace like auto zone and borrow a pressure checker. It replaces the radiator cap and you pump up pressure. If there is any external leaks they will show up.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ALEJANDRO CORTES
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
  • 2004 DODGE STRATUS
  • 155,000 MILES
I change my thermostat and I fix the oxygen sensor problem that I had, but now I run my car and my antifreeze goes down and it's hot. I want to know why is this happening? I have to add antifreeze every day.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello,

This sounds to me like you probably have a cooling system leak somewhere. Do a visual inspection of the overflow take, radiator, water pump, and all the hoses to see if you can see a spot where it is leaking at. It will be noticeable because it will look "washed" where it is leaking. If you are not able to find it then I have included a couple of links for you to go to down below to find the spot and get it fixed:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant

Please go through these guides and get back to us with what you find out, please.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ALEJANDRO CORTES
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
So I checked the car and I get this picture. The oil it's like getting other color I guess is the water pump. And it is little leak for the picture 2.
So if I have to replace the water pump. Which others parts do you recommend to change as I open the engine to change the water pump? And which tool I'll need? The car is the 2004 Dodge Stratus SE 2.7 l DOCH 24 Valve.
Images (Click to make bigger)
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello again,

Picture two is a picture of your vehicle's crankshaft pulley. If you are worried about coolant leaking there, don't. The only thing that would be leaking from behind there would be oil, from around your engine's front main seal.The oil fill cap has a little bit of condensation on it, but not much. I have provided a few links for you to go to below:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

Please go through these guides and get back to us with what you are able to find out, please.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMTREECE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 106,000 MILES
My car is leaking antifreeze. My boyfriend says it is leaking from behind the motor. WHICH PUZZELS HIM. Do you know why or how to fix it. Thanks, Heather
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
Head gasket, heater hose, heater core.

If it's the heater core, (unlikely at only 6 years old), fluid will be dripping from a small rubber tube on the firewall if the car has air conditioning, and onto the right front floor on cars without air conditioning.

Head gasket leaks should be visible after crawling underneath. Slow leaks will show up as a white stain running down from where the cylinder head meets the engine block.

Caradiodoc
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:44 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DJINFAMOUS79
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 86,200 MILES
My car recently started leaking the engine coolant. After careful inspection I noticed that it will only leak it when the a/c or heater is ON. Otherwise there is no significant leak that can be seen. What would you guys recommend replacing?
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:45 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
We wouldn't recommend replacing anything unless we knew what was wrong. Is the leaking fluid clear or green? If clear, that's normal condensation draining out from the AC unit in the dash.

Caradiodoc
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:45 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DJINFAMOUS79
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
It is green. Where the leak is located slides down to where the oil filter is located and drips from there. I filled the reserve engine coolant tank to maximum line on 06/15/09 and by 06/19/09 I had to refill it again because it was empty.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:45 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
This will need to be physically looked at by someone. Just as a guess, I would suspect a leaking head gasket. The heater shouldn't make any difference, but the AC removes heat from inside the car and dumps it right in front of the radiator. That will result in higher system pressure which is more likely to push coolant out through a leak.

Caradiodoc
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:45 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STRATAS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 DODGE STRATUS
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
Hello! Dodge stratus 2.7 engine is leaking antifreeze spot under car is on the right side where is lokated thermostat. It can be leaking water pump. Can water pump leak outside of this endine or only inside. Thanks.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,603 POSTS
Water pumps can and often do leak outside the engine, my truck just had one go bad on it after 130k and 10 years, you would think they would last longer than that!
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KEYANAMICHELLE
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2000 DODGE STRATUS
  • 140,000 MILES
The mechanic said my 2000 dodge stratus is leaking water from the back of the engine. What could cause that? Are there plugs and hoses back there that can leak?
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Could be a heater hose leaking, intake manifold or a freeze plug that's in between the engine and transmission
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KEYANAMICHELLE
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
It had started overheating and it cut off on me twice. I added water to the radiator and the water was leaking out. I took it to the mechanic and he said it's leaking water from the back of the engine so I've got to take it back to him in the morning. I'm hoping it won't be expensive to fix.
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Saturday, December 5th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)

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