Losing coolant in 2010 Dodge Caravan. Rad is not overheating
Asked by Leora Dec 26, 2014 at 11:57 AM about the 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
While driving, heater sends out cold air, Check antifreeze levels and they are low. Add antifreeze, heater works okay again. After driving a while, the problem repeats, I have added 12 litres of antifreeze, and still losing antifreeze. Does not seem to be leaking anywhere. Checked oil, exhaust, transmission. Can't find a place where it is going. Just ran car now, heat is okay, and no leak anywhere, inside or outside.
9 Answers
Could be a head gasket or intake gasket leak, causing coolant to be burned up and sent out the exhaust, perhaps just not enough to cause any smoking. How many miles are on your vehicle?
Hi the 3.3L,3.8L and even the 4.0 L engines are not know for head gasket issues... ...how ever they are know for water pump and intake leaks ...the intake leaks at the ends and will seep into the intake ports ..you will need to hook up a coolant pressure tester and see were the coolant leaks out...good luck
Thanks guys. There are 90,000 km on van. Will look into suggestions, however, there is no odor of evaporation, and with 12 litres added, it could not evaporate that much. Tailpipe is absolutely dry.
no its not evaporating its leaking out ...just have to find out where :)...also does the van have rear heat??..have seen the o/rings in the rear leak as well.....even the rear heater core
Having the same problem with my 2008, however part of the coolant I am losing is going into the overflow bottle. The van isn't overheating, it blows hot air when the heat is running, but I am having to add water everyday. Have replaced the thermostat, have replaced the radiator, there is a little water dripping out of the exhaust pipe. One thing I have noticed is that if I run it with the cap off the water doesn't look like it is circulating and as the van heats up the water starts coming back up and out of the radiator fill spout.
Try flushing the cooling system, and if you have a lot of miles on the vehicle, you might be due for a water pump. Even if the water pump isn't leaking, the impeller might be worn down to nothing.
Having same problem. Seems like can see evaporation from back engine and can smell coolant
Thanks for all the great answers. We did find out that there was a hole in the steel pipe that did not show up leaking. When it got up on the hoist, it did show a leak at the front of the engine, and the pipe, a short one was replaced. End of problem!! Thanks again
