Coolant level dropping
 

About 6 weeks ago I noticed that the coolant level was down to the MIN line, so I brought it to the dealer for an oil change and mentioned the coolant and they filled it to the MAX line, actually looking down at it, it was a hair over the MAX line. I just checked it yesterday and it was down about an inch from the line. I've put about 1,000 miles on since that last service. Does this sound like a slow leak? Or have others experienced anything similar?

[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/IMG]

Doesn't sound very serious yet, but get it checked out for possible leaks now, before it does get serious.

Do you use your AC often?

yea, dosn't sound serious yet. Check the coolant hoses and see if any are leaking. It might be hard to detect a leak given your slow rate of loss.

Other possibilities are leaky gaskets, such as the head gasket. One of the worst case scenarios would be a blown head gasket that lets coolant flow into the combustion chambers. An expensive fix if it's not covered by the warrentee, that's what killed my last car ('93 Sunbird).

Its probably not serious, it may be the tube at the bottom of the resivoir is leaking a bit. When I bought my car it was already below the min line. When I took it in for the first of two free oil changes at the dealer they completly ignored it, so when I brought it in for the second one, I pointed it out to the mechanic, he filled the resivoir to the top with water. I asked him that according to the owners manual your suppose to use a 50/50 mixture, he said it didn't matter. Now I won't go back to the dealer.

Anyhow sorry to go on like that, your A/C makes no difference if its on or off. Try to park it in the same area everyday and look for spots, or put a big piece of white poster board under it when you park at work or school and check for leak spots when you come back. If you don't se any after a few days then I wouldn't sweat it.

Uhh you probably don't have a leak because you would of smell it. I think your problems isn't a problem. Lets see fi I can explain. Well lets say your car sits out side and it is cooled off well your level is going to read high because your system has no pressure build up. What I am saying is when they tell you not to open the cap when the car is running and it hot, is because it will go everywhere, which means that all the fluid is moving around and it under a cetain pressure. It is hard to explain. Sorry. that is what I think

Wait for the engine to cool, then turn the radiator cap couterclockwise, Dont take it off! but just turn it...This will release any pressure and the coolant should go back to its normal position:)
Not a problem dude

be carefull that what mine was doing first!! Now I have a blown head gasket! What you need to check if the overflow tank, if its filling up to the top on you under high rpms but then empty under cool temps then you have serious probs! Has your car overheated? Or even got warmer than normal? The line that you our looking under is where it should be under hot temps while the car is running, if it just lowers when the car is off that is what it is supossed to do! check those and let me know because it sounds sim to some of my earlier probs!

This is the thing about colant levels. I've noticed that on my civic when I get done driving it and I check all the fluids, the colant level is alot lower, but when you let your civic sit for a while and let the engine cool, the level rises up to what it was originally filled to. I think you have to let the rest of the colant drain, which occurs when your done driving your car for a while. If the level doesn't go up even after the engine has cooled, you may have a leak somewhere in your coolant lines.