Car overheats, antifreeze leaks
The dash in my car showed the check engine light on the other day. The day after that, some antifreeze leaked out and the car got overheated. I figured that the cap was loose so I filled in some antifreeze in the car. However, the vehicle got overheated again when I drove it the following day. I've noticed that there is a leak under the car but I'm not sure where it is coming from exactly. While I drive the car, the heat is functioning well. However, it become cooler when the car is not in motion. What could be the problem?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. If the vehicle is leaking antifreeze, then that needs to be located and repaired first. Most of the time it comes from a crack in the radiator or the water pump, though it can also come from a number of other places. If the leak is not easily found, I usually do a pressure test on the cooling system to see where it is leaking. Once the leak is repaired, the Check Engine Light can be diagnosed. It may have come on from the overheating, or for a completely different reason. Using a scan tool to read the codes is the only way to know what codes are in the computer. If you want to have this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to detect the cause of the overheating issue and determine what repairs are necessary.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Coolant leaks and engine overheating are usually caused by a failing water pump. Automotive water pumps are designed to leak coolant through weep ports as a warning that they are failing. Aside from overheating, a distinctive grinding or whining noise caused by a bad bearing is also a symptom of a bad pump.
Some car owners have also reported noticing the `Check Engine` light displaying on the dashboard before identifying a coolant leak. A `check engine` light on a dashboard. This is because, when the coolant level is too low it affects the temperature level in the engine.
The most obvious sign of an overheating engine is a rising temperature gauge, especially if the check engine light also comes on. Smoky steam coming from under the hood means that the coolant has bubbled out of the radiator and that you need to pull over immediately – or major engine damage may occur.
Your Engine is Running Warm or Overheats
The most common indicator of a coolant leak is your car overheating. At first, you may just notice your engine temperature registering higher than usual but, especially with longer drives, your car may start to overheat.
It may be a broken hose and/or a hole in the radiator. Solution: Check your hoses to see if any coolant is coming out. Replace the hose(s) if you notice coolant coming out of them. If you notice coolant leaking out of your thermostat that can be an easy fix.
Although a small coolant leak doesn`t seem like a pretty serious issue, it can lead to complete engine failure and irreparable damage. The coolant system is one of the most important parts of any car because it keeps the engine temperature in check by cooling the antifreeze/water mix that runs through the engine block.
The first symptoms of a head gasket that is failing are usually a slow loss of coolant with no visible leaks, engine overheating and/or a Check Engine light with cylinder misfire codes.
That said, a severely overheating engine can cause the cylinder walls or the pistons themselves to warp, bend and deform. This will cause the perfect seal between the piston and the rest of the engine to lose integrity. Oil could be forced past the piston rings and into the engine, where it will burn the oil.
Antifreeze (aka coolant) is pumped through your vehicle`s engine as you drive, absorbing excess heat and exchanging it with the outside air. That means an antifreeze leak could cause the engine to overheat — and that can lead to major engine damage.
The average cost to fix a leaking radiator is $340, with a range between $125 and $600. Your total cost will depend on a number of factors, such as the type of repair needed, the type of radiator you have and the materials required.
The first and most common reason is a faulty radiator cap. It can go bad just from being old and worn and if it doesn`t fit properly, it can leak coolant because the entire system is under pressure. The good thing about this is that it`s easy to fix – you just need to replace the radiator cap with an OEM one.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Car overheats, antifreeze leaks
ANSWER : Hello. If the vehicle is leaking antifreeze, then that needs to be located and repaired first. Most of the time it comes from a crack in the radiator or the water pump, though it can also come from a number of other places. If the leak is not easily found, I usually do a pressure test on the cooling system to see where it is leaking. Once the leak is repaired, the Check Engine Light can be diagnosed. It may have come on from the overheating, or for a completely different reason. Using a scan tool to read the codes is the only way to know what codes are in the computer. If you want to have this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to detect the cause of the overheating issue and determine what repairs are necessary.
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Fuel EVAP line that runs under car is kinked how do I know if it is leaking? Also can I drive it like that if it’s not leaking?
ANSWER : Hi Ricardo. We answered your question earlier. However, if you didn’t receive the reply, here is what we stated earlier. In most cases, an EVAP leak will create an OBD-II trouble code. The best way to detect an EVAP leak is by having a professional mobile mechanic complete a check engine light inspection, they will be able to download the code and determine the source of the leak. That’s the best advice we can offer you. Thanks.
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Oil leaking from under car and "remote control car" sound when car is first started for a few minutes until it warm up.
ANSWER : Hello,
There are a number of things that could make an engine noisy when starting up. Depending on the specific type of sound you are referring to, this will determine how to properly diagnose. If there is a bit of a hissing sound, this may be a sign of a vacuum leak. If this is more of a shrieking sound, this may be a sign of a worn out or out of adjustment serpentine belt. If there is a bit of a howling or growling sound, this may be a sign of a worn out or low on fluid power steering pump. A rattling or pinging sound may be caused by an ignition problem. An engine can ping (or knock) due to an improper combustion process. A "spark knock" is the result of combustion occurring too early. Early combustion can occur from carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber, a lean air/fuel mixture, and advanced ignition timing (spark plug firing too soon). A clattering type sound may be a result of improper lubrication in the valve train which could be a more serious problem and should be addressed as soon as possible. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle to ensure everything is in proper working order.
There are a number of things that could make an engine noisy when starting up. Depending on the specific type of sound you are referring to, this will determine how to properly diagnose. If there is a bit of a hissing sound, this may be a sign of a vacuum leak. If this is more of a shrieking sound, this may be a sign of a worn out or out of adjustment serpentine belt. If there is a bit of a howling or growling sound, this may be a sign of a worn out or low on fluid power steering pump. A rattling or pinging sound may be caused by an ignition problem. An engine can ping (or knock) due to an improper combustion process. A "spark knock" is the result of combustion occurring too early. Early combustion can occur from carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber, a lean air/fuel mixture, and advanced ignition timing (spark plug firing too soon). A clattering type sound may be a result of improper lubrication in the valve train which could be a more serious problem and should be addressed as soon as possible. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle to ensure everything is in proper working order.
Read Full Q/A … : Car overheats, antifreeze leaks
Fuel EVAP line that runs under car is kinked how do I know if it is leaking? Also can I drive it like that if it’s not leaking?
ANSWER : Hi there. In most cases, an EVAP leak will create an OBD-II trouble code, which is the best way to detect an EVAP leak. By having a professional mobile mechanic complete a check engine light inspection, they will be able to download the code and determine the source of the leak. In most cases, it’s an EVAP purge solenoid that is faulty.
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My car started smoking and antifreeze leaked out all over the place. Now it wont hold antifreeze so i tried pouring water into the
ANSWER : It is possible that your turbo is cooled with engine coolant and has sprung a leak. This would cause coolant to leak into the exhaust system because the turbo is connected to the exhaust system. It is also possible that because there is a turbo issue, this is preventing the vehicle from starting. I would recommend having any trouble codes read with an OBD2 scanner and going from there with the diagnosis. Consider YourMechanic for a car is not starting inspection as this can be done at your home or office.
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My car is leaking coolant and telling me to stop the car and check coolant.
ANSWER : Going by your description and the age of the car, I’m going to guess you have a problem with your water pump. The water pump has a rotating seal that often doesn’t leak unless the engine is running. If your water pump is leaking you might be able to see a drip from the bottom of the engine front cover. Before jumping to any conclusions though, you should have a professional pressure test the system to be sure. If you contact Your Mechanic. they can send a technician to your home or office to check out your leak and tell you what it will take to solve it.
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My car has a coolant leak – 2001 Lincoln Town Car
ANSWER : The heater AC (air conditioning) case has a drain to let out condensation from the case. The heater core is positioned in the case that allows it get out through the case drain on the outside of the engine firewall between the center toward the passenger side of the car in the case of a leak. Bypassing the heater core has stopped the leak but the heater and defroster is not inoperative along with the automatic temperature control of the air conditioner. I recommend having the heater core inspected and replaced to fix the system.
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Car is leaking massive amounts of antifreeze, and then proceeds to overheat.
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. It would be highly recommended that you not drive the vehicle until the leak is located and fixed. One and a half gallons is basically the amount to fill the entire cooling system, so the leak is definitely major.
To constantly drive the vehicle with this continuing overheating of the engine, serious damage will occur. It would be best to immediately have a certified mechanic take a look at the vehicle and identify where the leak is coming from, and make the repairs. The leak could be coming from a ruptured hose, a failed radiator, or any number of other possible areas.
If you need help identifying and repairing the issue, YourMechanic offers several options. They have trained mechanics that can come to your home, or place of business, and perform the diagnosis of the coolant leak and repair it as necessary.
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