Coolant smell coming through vents

When I am driving slowly or idling, I can smell coolant coming through the vent ducts. I have checked for leaking hoses and can't seem to find any type of leak. Does anyone know what might cause this? I recently changed the coolant and the levels appear to be fine.

When I am driving slowly or idling, I can smell coolant coming through the vent ducts. I have checked for leaking hoses and can't seem to find any type of leak. Does anyone know what might cause this? I recently changed the coolant and the levels appear to be fine.

 

 

Update:

 

I checked the coolant level before I drove to the gym this morning, and it was just above "low." I filled it with 50/50 Peak to the "full" mark. Checked for any obvious signs of leaking anywhere, didn't notice anything unusual. I drove to the gym and when I got back, I checked again. I can't find any leaks in the upper radiator hose or the lower, down under the reserve tank. I tightened up all the clamps on the hoses (I recently replaced the upper hose and bought a new clamp for it) and ran the engine long enough for the fan to kick on. Didn't see anything leaking anywhere, however, I could smell coolant. Is there another common place this coolant could be leaking and burning, to produce this smell? Some place that can't be viewed from the top (with the air intake removed)?? I am worried that I have a bigger problem since I can't see any leaking hoses.

Sounds like your heater core is leaking.

No, that is not a good thing... think ripping out the whole dash...

Is that covered under the 60,000 mile warranty?

For you sake, I really hope so.

That's gonna be wicked expensive to fix otherwise.

For you sake, I really hope so.

That's gonna be wicked expensive to fix otherwise.

I agree...sounds like a heater core.... major PITA job...try for a warrenty repair.

Thanks, all...I've been reading through other threads and it occurred to me that I can smell coolant in the engine bay, too, not just inside from the vents. Which leads me to believe this problem might just be spilled coolant in the foam on the radiator that is burning as the engine gets hot. Or maybe it's collected somewhere in there. If I could only smell it inside the car, that would make sense. I will check the carpet to see if it's wet and watch the coolant level very closely over the next week.

You said you filled the tank to the full line. With out checking mine. I seem to recall the tank is labeled cold and hot lines. When the engine is cold the coolant should be at the lower line. When the engine is hot it should be at the top line. IMO if your filling it to the hot line when cold, your asking for trouble.

 

If you think you have coolant in the foam, hose it off with plenty of fresh water from a garden hose.

Yeah, you are only supposed to fill it to the bottom mark. Since it is an overflow tank, you don't fill it, it is for overflow... You put in a bit if the temperature drops below when you changed the coolant, other than that, it is for overflow.

Yeah, I put too much in. But I noticed the smell before I overfilled it - it's not coming from the reserve tank overflowing. Before I added fluid to the reserve tank, when cold, it was about a half inch above the LOW mark. I filled it to about an inch above the FULL mark, which is where it was this morning before i started the engine. I got back from the gym and as i was pulling in, I noticed the smell again through my vent. So I inspected the engine, and it was about two inches over the FULL mark, but nothing had spilled out. I checked all the hoses I could see and notice no leaks. I cannot see any fluid dripping down onto any parts of the engine, but the smell is pronounced on the passenger side of the engine, right at the radiator. I looked all over and can't see any fluid anywhere. The smell is much stronger in just that one spot.

Have you checked the passenger floor carpet to see if it's wet ?

 

I would be surprised if it is.

 

Somehow remove the over the coolant from the tank and get it down to the lower mark when the engine is cold.

 

This has to be a simple problem...you just need to step back, take a deep breath and look things over. If it's a heater core, I think you would be the first...

 

Another way the tell if it's the heater core, does the windshield get fogged up when you turn on the defroster ? I think that is what happened to me back in the mid 70's. That's was one of the hints that the heater core was bad.

I checked, and it's dry as a bone. The windows do not fog up, and the smell truly is most pronounced at the front of the engine around the radiator on the passenger side. I just can't find any leaks. How long would it take coolant to burn off the hot metal surfaces in there? Maybe I am just smelling stuff that collected when I added coolant a few weeks ago. I haven't driven more than 250 miles since then. It probably is simple...I am not overheating, doesn't sound like it's the heater core, and the coolant itself looks normal. I started to panic, thinking it's a head gasket leak or something, but that wouldn't explain where the smell is coming from, would it?

 

I guess I will use the little tester thing I bought when i mixed my coolant and, 1 ounce at a time, suck all the excess coolant out. i need to make room for the Subaru conditioner, anyway.

Are you sure it is coolant???? Check the banjo bolts on the turbo oil feed.

Are you losing coolant? If so, its definitely the heater core. I just dealt with this. Buy a heater core from King of Parts (Fred Beans) for about 60 bucks. Installation will be around $300-350. It requires removing your dash which is not something I would recommend anyone doing unless you absolutely know what you are doing.

 

I know it sucks. I dealt with it for months. When they took out my heater core, it had yellow crap all over it and looked done for.

If it's a heater core, I think you would be the first...

 

Not true. I had mine replaced back in February this year. It was absolutely the culprit. My heater didn't work, I was losing coolant and it smelled throughout my car.

Not true. I had mine replaced back in February this year. It was absolutely the culprit. My heater didn't work, I was losing coolant and it smelled throughout my car.

 

Ok, I think he would be the 2nd ???

Ok, I think he would be the 2nd ???

 

 

There ya go.

 

But in all seriousness, to the op, I feel your pain.

Not true. I had mine replaced back in February this year. It was absolutely the culprit. My heater didn't work, I was losing coolant and it smelled throughout my car.

 

My heater works fine - gets really hot.

 

I'm 99.9% sure it's coolant. I know the difference between the smell of burning oil and burning coolant, and it smells sweet. It's also not inside the car in an overwhelming way...i can smell it when I get out of the car after driving it and it smells the strongest up in the front part of the engine.

 

I am wondering if the heater core is covered under the 60,000 mile warranty, or if I am screwed and have to pay for it myself. I can't spend that kind of money on a repair for something that should never go bad in the first place.

My heater works fine - gets really hot.

 

I'm 99.9% sure it's coolant. I know the difference between the smell of burning oil and burning coolant, and it smells sweet. It's also not inside the car in an overwhelming way...i can smell it when I get out of the car after driving it and it smells the strongest up in the front part of the engine.

 

I am wondering if the heater core is covered under the 60,000 mile warranty, or if I am screwed and have to pay for it myself. I can't spend that kind of money on a repair for something that should never go bad in the first place.

 

It might be a small leak at this point, but yeah check to see if that is covered under warranty.

I've noticed the same thing on mine. 57k on it. I checked the overflow a couple of months ago and there was nothing in it at all. So I added some coolant and then after I got it back from the dealer (center diff bearings) it wreaked of coolant in the car. I checked it when I got home and it was about 12oz over full. So I removed some coolant until it was in the middle of the full and low markings. It doesn't smell AS bad but it's still noticeable. Definitely from out side the car. I mostly notice it when I pull away from a light that I've been sitting at for a minute.

I don't really notice the smell anymore. I'm thinking it must have been coolant I had spilled when filling it up that has been burning off over time. It took almost a thousand miles for the smell to burn away completely, if that's what it was.

Yea, I'm not noticiing it as much as I was a few weeks ago when it was over full.

my 1998 core is leaking - no carpet moisture curiously. It still pumps heat, and it's not really leaking fluid [in any noticeable amounts] - but just enough to fumigate me with toxic gasses when the fan is blowing....it's quite horrible. Apparently, it doesn't take much leakage of coolant to turn your air blower plenum into a coolant aerosol generator!

 

I put in a can of stop-leak, and it's reduced it tremendously, but it still stinks. Doesn't mist/fog the windows nearly as bad as it did before. The car has 165000 miles on it, rust holes in the four corners [michigan salt winters], but is basically sound, aside from the Deetroit Ghetto-fabulous exterior appearance [yes, I get lots of looks from those folks in fancy new cars!].

 

I keep meaning to take it up to my neighorhood mech, to see how much he'll charge me to rip open the dash/steering column to swap out a core.....but, then I forget....

my 1998 core is leaking - no carpet moisture curiously. It still pumps heat, and it's not really leaking fluid [in any noticeable amounts] - but just enough to fumigate me with toxic gasses when the fan is blowing....it's quite horrible. Apparently, it doesn't take much leakage of coolant to turn your air blower plenum into a coolant aerosol generator!

 

I put in a can of stop-leak, and it's reduced it tremendously, but it still stinks. Doesn't mist/fog the windows nearly as bad as it did before. The car has 165000 miles on it, rust holes in the four corners [michigan salt winters], but is basically sound, aside from the Deetroit Ghetto-fabulous exterior appearance [yes, I get lots of looks from those folks in fancy new cars!].

 

I keep meaning to take it up to my neighorhood mech, to see how much he'll charge me to rip open the dash/steering column to swap out a core.....but, then I forget....

 

 

I too, have a 1998 Legacy GT that is giving me a smell of coolant in the passenger compartment when I turn on the blower. I swapped a WRX motor in there. I have 178k on the chassis. I don't see any coolant leaking anywhere which is what is frustrating and puzzling me. I have not recharged the AC system since the swap so I don't really have a defroster. I'm not getting any coolant on the passenger floor and when I use the defroster, it doesn't work well but it works. Also, my heat isn't very hot. If I turn it up all the way, it takes a while to heat up the passenger compartment and it never gets very hot.

I too, have a 1998 Legacy GT that is giving me a smell of coolant in the passenger compartment when I turn on the blower. I swapped a WRX motor in there. I have 178k on the chassis. I don't see any coolant leaking anywhere which is what is frustrating and puzzling me. I have not recharged the AC system since the swap so I don't really have a defroster. I'm not getting any coolant on the passenger floor and when I use the defroster, it doesn't work well but it works. Also, my heat isn't very hot. If I turn it up all the way, it takes a while to heat up the passenger compartment and it never gets very hot.

 

Sounds like it could be a heater core in your case.

 

-mike

 

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