Hi all, have a Dodge Journey 2013, have had engine coolant issues since owning the car. Took it in two times over the many years and I swear the dealership was scamming us. One time was even while the car was still under warranty, they claimed warranty doesn't cover the hose system.
Anyhow, any ideas what could cause a coolant leak? We have to fill up the coolant reservoir every half year. Today I saw steam coming from the hood vent and saw the coolant was again below the add line. The coolant seems to flush itself out of the system quickly and then stay around the add line for a while.
The wife is nagging me to take it in for service again but I’m not going to be a third time sucker. Any calculated thoughts on what could be causing the problem?
I swear the dealership was scamming us.
I'd say there's about the same chance of that as the Pope being Catholic.
You might try some UV dye to find the leak, and if you don't find it try testing for a blown head gasket. (If your coolant level is dropping it's either leaking or being burned in the engine.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDuGeQnMOzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0U8Iyf0kk4
Thanks for the quick response.
Is there a chance that there could be a leak and a blown gasket at the same time? For sure there has been some fluid leaked under the engine part of the car. Sorry I didn’t mention that prior.
Of course. In fact a coolant leak can lead to a blown head gasket if the engine overheats. However, if you're seeing coolant dripping there is a leak and you need to find the source.
Cool. So some more investigating, some videos suggest to remove the radiator cap and start the engine and look in the radiator cap area for bubble. We did that and say no bubbles. Another suggestion was to check the exhaust of the car as excessive plumes of smoke can indicate mixing of antifreeze and gas. I checked that and there isn’t much smoke, one time there was a little more than usual.
Any suggestions on using a solution called Bar’s Leak - Radiator Stop Leak Sealer? Should we try this or find the actual leaking part and have it repaired (knowing we have to order a full set of items not being able to buy the actual faulty part, that plus repair costs).
Any suggestions on using a solution called Bar’s Leak - Radiator Stop Leak Sealer?
A temporary band-aid at best. Can clog up your cooling system at worst.
Should we try this or find the actual leaking part and have it repaired
A proper repair is always preferable if you intend keeping the vehicle as long as possible.