99 toyota corolla - stuck in snow - coolant issue?

Coolant under the car is indicative of a problem.

First of all, Toyota's the factory coolant fill is red so unless you have had the coolant changed at someplace other than a Toyota dealer, the color should be red. If someone other than a Toyota dealer has changed the coolant, then it would be green.

The most likely cause for seeing coolant under the car is a leak. The other possibility is a bad radiator cap or overheating although these are generally accompanied by high temps shown on the temperature gauge and steam from under the hood.

Using the heater and defroster will not cause a leak unless the leak is in the heater core or hoses leading to and from the heater core.

Thanks, Ray!

I bought the car back in December from a used car place, that also is a Toyota Dealership, although the car isn't Toyota Certified. I'm not sure what other fluid might be that color. If there is a leak, will it show up under my car in the garage, or will it only leak when it's running (ie, if it's a hose)

What would something like a hose generally cost, or is it too vague of a problem to deal with? We're in a near blizzard here and I can't get it anywhere until Monday, at the soonest. If there is a leak, would it be safe to drive it to the dealership then? (which is about 15 miles away).

Thanks again,

Samantha

No other fluid used in a car is yellow/green like coolant.

Depending on the size of the leak, some hoses will leak without the engine running although having the engine running generally accelerates the leak.

Possible places to leak in order of likelihood and approximate costs

Lower radiator hose, upper radiator hose, heater inlet hose, heater outlet hose, - each DIY

As noted, probably coolant.

Odds are it will be no problem to drive until you can get it checked out. Do you have one of those clear "bottles" under the hood that hold the coolant, or is it strictly "in the radiator."

Check the level and see how far down it is...this website should help

Thanks again, Ray.

That was an awesome breakdown. I will check to see if there is anything under the car tomorrow morning. Hopefully it's just a hose. I was turning into my driveway and was trying to go fast. I know I didn't hit anything hard, just got stuck in a buncha snow. The only possibility was that I coulda hit something with the shovel trying to dig myself out. Sometimes I just loathe having a female brain - guys don't tend to dig under the car with a shovel. :)

Thanks, again.

Samatha

Ray O wrote:

Actually, when I have put wiper fluid in, I've looked to see if there was a coolant resevoir, but haven't ever seen one. I looked again today when I put wiper fluid in and noticed that I didn't see one.

So, I'm assuming it's only in the radiator. Which seems odd to me. How do you know when to put more in and how the heck do ya do it?

Thanks for the response. It is greatly appreciated.

-Samantha

There should be a rubber tube near the radiator cap and if you trace that it should end at the resevoir.

The best way to find a leak is while the engine is cool, use a radiator pressure pump device which puts about 20 pounds of pressure in the radiator. This will swell the hoses up and pinpoint hard to find leaks.

Don't have this device ? Something else I tried if you have an air tank is to only put about 20 pounds of pressure in it and if it has a valve to slowly leak air out attach it to the overflow hose at the resevoir side. This will also show any leaks. Just be sure you don't go over 2o PSI. Hope this helps.

toyota owner wrote:

Good advice!

I am not a fan of pressure testing radiators because the pressure tester itself can cause leaks. It is not so likely on a well-maintained cooling system but I prefer to use my eyes, fingers, and nose. So far, that method has worked 100% of the time for me, and I've looked at my fair share of problem cars.

As Joey mentioned, follow the small diameter rubber hose coming from the radiator neck - it will lead to the coolant overflow reservoir, which has a cap that looks almost like a radiator cap.

The overflow reservoir is translucent like the windshield washer reservoir and has hot and cold marks on it. The coolant level should be somewhere between the two marks.

You're welcome!

The trouble with looking for a coolant leak on the garage floor is that if the car is dripping water from snow, it is difficult to find the source of the leak. You should look when the car and garage floor are relatively dry, or you can put cardboard or newspaper down.

By the way, depending on the severity of the leak, the engine can overheat so watch your temperature gauge closely to avoid engine damage. Also, if the leak is bad, your coolant level will be low so make sure you top with the proper coolant mix.

Sorry for the late reply. Things have been hectic. I haven't had it checked yet, but my temperature guage looks good. I haven't seen anything under the car in the garage.

I'm taking her in for an oil change next week to my dealership, so I'll tell them about the situation and see if a hose was tweaked. Thanks so much!

Samantha

Ray O wrote:

Good luck with whatever the problem is!