Coolant Smell only when running heat
- Thread starter Stev3FrencH
- Start date
ChrisJ
Active member
Yup
Not to mention the overflow tank is vented so you may smell it from time to time.
LoneRider
New member
I was thinking along similar lines. The smell could be the plastics in the engine getting hot and/or the intake on the cowl sucking in some of that smell into the cabin.
TheBlueBomber
New member
I've had this problem as well...I smell coolant with the ac or the heat on...but my coolant resovior was low...I topped it off last week and its getting low again..whomp whomp...looks like a dealer visit
ChrisJ
Active member
So,
After adding small amounts of coolant 3 times now I made an appointment at the dealer.
I also swear I keep getting whiffs of that sweet smell while stopped in traffic. Never while going down the road though and turning the heat on had no effect.
Hmm. whiffs? wiffs? wifs? never had to spell that before.
After adding small amounts of coolant 3 times now I made an appointment at the dealer.
I also swear I keep getting whiffs of that sweet smell while stopped in traffic. Never while going down the road though and turning the heat on had no effect.
Hmm. whiffs? wiffs? wifs? never had to spell that before.
ColonelPanic
Banned
At 7200 miles, I had the car in the dealer to do a tire rotation. While it was in there, I pointed out the coolant was low - again. They topped it off to the fill line.
As I was inspecting the car today, I noticed that it's low yet again. It's only been about 2,000 miles since it was last topped off and it has dropped to this level:
I picked up some Dexcool and brought it back to the full line. Third time to be topped off since new -- will see how long this lasts.
Zero smell, nothing appears to be leaking. Where is it going?
As I was inspecting the car today, I noticed that it's low yet again. It's only been about 2,000 miles since it was last topped off and it has dropped to this level:
I picked up some Dexcool and brought it back to the full line. Third time to be topped off since new -- will see how long this lasts.
Zero smell, nothing appears to be leaking. Where is it going?
american_tuner
New member
Check to see if water pimp is good. None went out less than 16,000
Chevrolet Customer Care
New member
Hi ColonelPanic
Was the dealership able to look into this coolant issue for you? If you think you need my assistance in getting this diagnosed please send me a private message. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care
Was the dealership able to look into this coolant issue for you? If you think you need my assistance in getting this diagnosed please send me a private message. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care
ColonelPanic
Banned
Jackie
I haven't had them diagnose it yet, they just topped it off a couple of times. I'll be bringing it in for that and a couple other concerns soon. I'll most definitely enlist your team's assistance should it become necessary.
I haven't had them diagnose it yet, they just topped it off a couple of times. I'll be bringing it in for that and a couple other concerns soon. I'll most definitely enlist your team's assistance should it become necessary.
ColonelPanic
Banned
Took it a while, but now I finally have evidence of a coolant leak. I noticed there was a large puddle of something on the driveway where the right front of the Sonic was previously parked when I got home from work.. My wife has been driving the car, when she got back I immediately went out to inspect and confirmed it to be coolant.
There's a strong hot coolant smell from the turbo on over to the drive belt area. I couldn't find the origin of the leak but there is coolant everywhere under there. It's dripping down onto the axle, some is running down off the oil pan, engine cradle, all over the splash shield, etc...
I just had it in last week for an oil pan leak repair and a leaky transmission. I didn't bring up the prior mysterious coolant losses since the coolant level had somewhat stabilized, and I was already giving them quite a bit to work on. Looks like they get the car again.
There's a strong hot coolant smell from the turbo on over to the drive belt area. I couldn't find the origin of the leak but there is coolant everywhere under there. It's dripping down onto the axle, some is running down off the oil pan, engine cradle, all over the splash shield, etc...
I just had it in last week for an oil pan leak repair and a leaky transmission. I didn't bring up the prior mysterious coolant losses since the coolant level had somewhat stabilized, and I was already giving them quite a bit to work on. Looks like they get the car again.
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ColonelPanic
Banned
Got it in the shop...
They confirmed it was leaking but haven't been able to track down the source.
They confirmed it was leaking but haven't been able to track down the source.
schofell84
New member
I'm getting the greasy windshield symptom, but no smell. 7,000 miles
ColonelPanic
Banned
Mine needed a water pump, and the dealer happily took care of it. They've been great. I haven't crawled under it to check things out, but I'm not smelling coolant and it's not leaving puddles in the driveway anymore so I hope it's fixed.
That said, it was kinda concerning that while my car is in for a cooling system issue that I get another GM 1.4 equipped vehicle to drive (from a rental agency) that reeked of coolant and had an almost empty surge tank. What are the odds?
That said, it was kinda concerning that while my car is in for a cooling system issue that I get another GM 1.4 equipped vehicle to drive (from a rental agency) that reeked of coolant and had an almost empty surge tank. What are the odds?
ChrisJ
Active member
Mine needed a water pump, and the dealer happily took care of it. They've been great. I haven't crawled under it to check things out, but I'm not smelling coolant and it's not leaving puddles in the driveway anymore so I hope it's fixed.
That said, it was kinda concerning that while my car is in for a cooling system issue that I get another GM 1.4 equipped vehicle to drive (from a rental agency) that reeked of coolant and had an almost empty surge tank. What are the odds?
GM cooling systems since the mid 1990s.
Personally I've had zero problems with Dexcool. The rest of the components such as intake gaskets and water pumps on the other hand..........
Well, my car is back from the dealer.
The coolant is still low, they said it's fine.
I still smell coolant, they claim to only be able to smell my air freshener. They also suggested I'm just smelling coolant from other cars around me on the road.
They wasted a quarter tank of gas letting it idle "for an hour or so" while they tried to smell the coolant.
Off to find a new dealer! Hurrah!
The coolant is still low, they said it's fine.
I still smell coolant, they claim to only be able to smell my air freshener. They also suggested I'm just smelling coolant from other cars around me on the road.
They wasted a quarter tank of gas letting it idle "for an hour or so" while they tried to smell the coolant.
Off to find a new dealer! Hurrah!
ChrisJ
Active member
That's odd, I thought you pressure test a system with a hand pump. At least that is how I've always done it. In fact, most systems are more likely to leak cold then hot and running.
I'm still waiting till mine gets worse before I bring it back. Its not leaking that I can see but I am loosing some over a period of months.