1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Mystery Coolant Leak

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Boltgunner, Jul 17, 2021.

  1. Boltgunner

    Boltgunner Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2014
    13
    1
    0
    Location:
    Houston, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I was replacing RH low beam headlight bulb on our 2010. I removed the coolant overflow tank and disconnected upper hose from overflow tank. As soon as I pulled off the upper hose from the tank I heard trickling on the garage floor. Coolant puddled under the car, then coolant leaking stopped. No fluid exited the end of the hose I removed from the overflow tank. After changing the headlight bulb I reconnected the upper hose to the overflow tank and secured the tank. The car was not driven afterwards.
    The next day we took the car out for a drive. Before we pulled out of the garage I looked under the car, at which time I saw dripping off the aft edge of the forward plastic guard. The dripping was coolant. After a bit the dripping stopped.
    Any ideas, suggestions?
     
    #1 Boltgunner, Jul 17, 2021
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,278
    15,075
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Only two choices I can think of are the end of the hose you removed, or the bottle nipple you removed it from.

    Probably nothing more spilled after you reassembled, but some of the first spill may have collected on that plastic under-cover.
     
    #2 ChapmanF, Jul 17, 2021
  3. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,898
    4,419
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    forget about it... If it comes back then you can think about it some more.
     
    #3 PriusCamper, Jul 17, 2021
  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2017
    6,113
    4,040
    1
    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Yeah just drive it until the temp light comes on :ROFLMAO:
     
    #4 Grit, Jul 17, 2021
  5. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2012
    3,296
    1,006
    0
    Location:
    Arcadia, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Disconnect the hose again. Pour some plain water down it. See if it pools in the same spot.

    moto g(7) power ?
     
    #5 jzchen, Jul 19, 2021
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,278
    15,075
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Are you suggesting to pour water along the outside of that hose to find out where it runs off?

    Pouring plain water into the hose is not as good an idea, because the coolant is sold pre-mixed, so anything that creates a more-diluted mix inside the engine is difficult to recover from.
     
    #6 ChapmanF, Jul 19, 2021
    Mendel Leisk and Grit like this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)