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Quick Help - Greenish Fluid Leak

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by qdllc, Nov 5, 2014.

  1. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I've noticed this and thought it was just condensation from the evaporator coil to the A/C, but on my 2013 Prius, someone thought it was an anti-freeze leak (I know, it'd be pink), but still, water shouldn't have a greenish tinge like regular anti-freeze. It does seem to drip from the right-hand side of the motor.
     
    #1 qdllc, Nov 5, 2014
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Something growing in the condensation accumulated due to AC use? Are you using AC a lot? Where in the world are you?

    Anti-freeze should taste "sweet". But I'd be very inclined NOT to taste this stuff.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Nov 5, 2014
  3. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    It could be algae, living in the condensate water.
     
    #3 GregP507, Nov 5, 2014
  4. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    Hmmmm.

    The A/C is always in AUTO. TN/VA border region. Humid pretty much year round.

    If it's algae, how do I best treat it?
     
    #4 qdllc, Nov 5, 2014
  5. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Change your cabin filter and then have your local trusted a/c shop give the a/c system a clean with an anti mold spray. It's nasty stuff and I believe they switch on the can in your car with the a/c on full on the recirc setting. After 10 mins it should have killed all the mold and nasties in your a/c system.

    But do check your cabin filter as I find that they can be nasty after only 10,000 miles. If you've never changed it, it could be horrid. They're cheap and readily available.
     
    #5 GrumpyCabbie, Nov 5, 2014
  6. Tande

    Tande Active Member

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    What color is your windshield/washer fluid?.......
     
    #6 Tande, Nov 5, 2014
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  7. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I did my filter at 10K and it's not 20K yet. I'd be surprised to find a problem with it.

    I'm still on the OEM fluid the dealer put in when I bought the car.
     
    #7 qdllc, Nov 5, 2014
  8. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    Your car probably is still under warranty. Why not just visit the dealer ??

    No need to taste to test for coolant; it should smell sweet too.......as opposed to moldy water which should smell BAD.
     
    #8 Easy Rider 2, Nov 5, 2014
  9. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I can try and stop by the dealership on the way home....

    I did the taste test...didn't taste sweet.

    I'm surprised this hasn't come up before on the forum.
     
    #9 qdllc, Nov 5, 2014
  10. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    You might have to also stop for shots now.
     
    #10 GregP507, Nov 5, 2014
    Silver bullit and GrumpyCabbie like this.
  11. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    It probably HAS but hard to identify without more details.
     
    #11 Easy Rider 2, Nov 5, 2014
  12. PriusInParadise

    PriusInParadise Member

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    Greenish puddle under car. Not oily, not sweet. Cat urine.
     
    #12 PriusInParadise, Nov 6, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 6, 2014
  13. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    Another thought...not cat urine, but while the liquid had that purple oil sheen to it, I've really only noticed this at work where we have a blacktop parking area.

    For those who don't know, blacktop is very tar-heavy, so any water will pick up some oil residue from the surface. I wonder if blacktop could make water appear greenish rather than the water being that way when it comes off the car?
     
    #13 qdllc, Nov 6, 2014
  14. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Has anyone wondered if that green liquid was there already?
     
    #14 GrumpyCabbie, Nov 6, 2014
  15. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I'd say not. I saw stuff dripping, but I'd expect that from the A/C condenser coil. I'd not trust anything if the pavement was wet from rain and such.

    I've never really seen it in the garage, but I go up a steep incline to the house, and the garage is level. Parking lot at work has a slight incline.
     
    #15 qdllc, Nov 7, 2014
  16. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    I'd personally want to have a look at your cabin filter - at least. I've found mould on them in 10k miles. It's worth a look at least. That way you can discount it, or replace if needed. Maybe then get an a/c shop to service the a/c incase it is some weird sort of algae.

    Otherwise I can't think of any green liquid coming out of the Prius. The oil is usually clear or light brown, both coolant are pink/reddish. Fuel is clear. Transmission fluid is reddish too. Brake fluid isn't green and is clear if I recall. The washer fluid depends on the type used and is often blue, but can be red, yellow or green.

    It's either algae in your a/c water (unlikely) or this weird green fluid was there before.
     
    #16 GrumpyCabbie, Nov 7, 2014
  17. A617

    A617 Member

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    The only green fluid that I can think of In prius is the a/c compress oil. Most a/c compressor oil are dyed green for leak detection.
     
    #17 A617, Nov 8, 2014
  18. PriusInParadise

    PriusInParadise Member

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    ND-11 refrigerant oil is essentially clear. As far as I know, Toyota does not add A/C dye at the factory.
     
    #18 PriusInParadise, Nov 8, 2014
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