Q: Coolant doesn't circulate and is leaking into coolant tank

asked by on May 25, 2016

Hi.The coolant is leaking out of the car while it is running. I use dex-cool coolant. It seems that coolant doesn't circulate at all. If I refill the tank, the fan doesn't turn on. The car has a 2.2 L engine. The coolant leaks into the tank from overfill hose and although I had the thermostat replaced, the problem is still present. The low coolant light comes on when the temperature reaches around 205. Do you have any advice how to fix this?

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Hello. If the coolant only leaks when the engine is running, then it is typically a failing water pump. This is the most common thing to leak under these conditions. The water pump should be checked for signs of leakage first. If it is not leaking then a cooling system pressure tester needs to be used to find the leak. It can also be a hose or a head gasket, but both of those will usually leak all of the time.

Once the leak is fixed, then the rest of the cooling system can be inspected and a block test can be done to make sure that there are no internal engine problems. If you want to have this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair your coolant leaks.

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