steam from gill

Apr 19, 2007 5 Replies
J

Yesterday we were coming home in our 2002 caravan with rain and snow beating down really hard. When we got home we stopped to pick some stuff up at the store and I noticed the grill steaming. Not much, and rather uniform (across the entire grill, not localized). The temp was fine according to the dash and we had lots of heat all the way home.



This morning I checked under the hood and under the vehicle and didn't see any proof of a leak, the resevoir still had some antifreeze in it and removal of the rad cap showed it was topped up. Giving the lines a squeeze lowered it about 1/2 a cm.



We're rather new to this vehicle and I'm wondering (hoping) if it was simply rain and snow entering the rather large honeycomb grill and evaporating on the rad?


Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
D

Maybe even simpler, perhaps the hot exhaust components were steaming themselves dry? The upper grill area on a Caravan might be the highest place around the engine/trannie area for such warm vapors to find freedom...

/daytripper '00 s4 6spd '05 hemi durango ltd

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
M

If you had the defroster on the a/c would have been on as well and this will cause the A/C condenser to get hot, the water from the rain may have caused steam from the hot condenser.

Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
T

My '02 does that in the rain, too. I worried, at first, but a little investigation convinced me that it's rain water evaporating off a hot radiator. Never loses coolant, never runs hot. Just the design of the grille and bodywork.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
J

Yeah, it was pretty wet and chilly and with both kids in the rear we kept the heat up all the way home.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
J

Good to know. I freaked a little when I saw it happening because our last car had a whole series of problems right before it dropped dead and we're still running in paranoia mode because of it.

Thanks

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required