Chevrolet Cruze Forums banner

Losing Coolant

21K views 54 replies 14 participants last post by  ChevyGuy 
#1 ·
Hi guys,

A few days ago after a 10 minute drive I noticed a trail of water after parking. The liquid was being forced out of the coolant reservoir under pressure. When the engine had cooled I opened the reservoir and it was empty.

I called the NRMA (NSW roadside assistance). The guy that came refilled the reservoir with water & checked that the fan was cutting in after the engine warmed up. He said it could be the fan's temperature sensor on it's way out - though it was working when he checked. If the fan doesn't cut in the coolant (or water) evaporates quickly.

I told my wife to keep an eye on the temperature gauge when she drove to and from work (20 minutes each way). She said it was normal (a little under halfway). I thought I'd check it anyway and the reservoir is empty again.

Does anybody have any other theories on the cause.

Thanks
 
#7 ·
The NRMA guy tested the fan. By running the car with the AC on the fan should be on. Then he turned off the AC & waited for the temperature to rise. The fan's heat sensor eventually triggered the fan & the temperature gauge was normal when it did.
 
#3 ·
Just a thought....keep an eye on your engine oil as well, if level goes up or you notice foam then most likely your head cylinder gasket is the problem.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
I'm not as well versed on the 1.8. I'd say fill it up, take it on a 5 minute drive, and start looking for where it's leaking from. If it's leaving a trail, it shouldn't be hard to find. (Assuming the trail wasn't from the A/C condensate.) Once we know what part of the engine is leaking, we can form a better guess as to what's wrong.
 
#5 ·
I had the same issue, I started a 2 hour drive to my brother in laws with my wife in the passenger seat and I get a call from my uncle that where I park my car in the driveway there was a puddle of coolant

so I pulled over about halfway and checked, it was sizzling out of a bad o-ring just off the top of the water pumo, so I put a towel over that to catch it from soaking everything underneath it

Park3d at the hotel and check it in the morning and the trail of coolant that I had lost simply couldn't have been from a bad reservoir hose o ring because of the towel

Dealer told me cracked reservoir tank and other ring was the cause of my problem and my extended warrantee picked up the cost of repair



Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
Hello Brockster,

We're sorry to hear what happened with your Cruze. I can certainly understand how concerning this would be, especially since it's unexpected. If you decide you'd like to work with a Chevrolet certified dealership, we'd be happy to facilitate the process on your behalf. If this is something of interest, please send us a direct message with your VIN, contact information, mileage, and dealer name.

Thanks!

Jasmine
Chevrolet Customer Care
 
#8 ·
I hope I'm not hijacking this thread, but I'm having a similar problem......

2011 Cruze LT, 90,000 miles. At every oil change I check all the fluids - coolant, power steering, bug juice... Never had any loss of coolant. Last oil change was about a thousand miles ago, so not that long. It's been summer, even here in Minnesota, so we hadn't been using the heat, but the temperature gauge has always acted normal. A couple days ago it got cool enough to need heat and there wasn't any. I checked for a 598 code and there's no error code.

So, I checked the coolant reservoir, and it was LOW - not empty, but low. Removed the cap, lots of noise and bubbling, and we had heat. Ran over and got antifreeze and filled the reservoir. Drove it, filled it again. Heat is working fine, as it has for the last 6 years...

There's NO coolant anywhere under the car. There's NO sign that the water pump, radiator, thermostat, or anything else is leaking. Checked under the engine and there's nothing down there. There's no SMELL of hot coolant anywhere. SO FAR, the oil level hasn't gone up, and I don't see any foam.

If it's not going out on the ground, and it's not going into the oil, and it's not staying in the reservoir, WHERE IS THE COOLANT GOING?
 
#12 ·
Interesting - I've never heard of coolant dye. I'll have to get some and try it. Unfortunately, since I'd never lost any perceptible amount before, I have no idea how many days it took since I last checked it at the oil change - probably at least 6 weeks ago.

Either way, a small leak somewhere is a whole lot better than pulling the dipstick and finding foam all over it.
 
#13 ·
I found out when my dealership put it in to track down a coolant leak. It turned out in my case to be a combination of a bad water pump and a bad seal on the tank cap.
 
#14 ·
I've been continuing to drive the Cruze... No leaks, no problems, no NOTHING... Wednesday, I drove it 90 miles, parked it in the driveway, and NO leak - nothing on the ground, nothing on the plastic thing under the engine, nothing.

This morning we drive it about 5 miles, then parked it in the driveway and went off to do other "stuff". Late this afternoon, walked out and the car had peed all over the place.....

This is what it looks like under the car

Bumper Vehicle Car Automotive exterior



Raised the hood and now there's antifreeze on the plastic thing under the engine. SO, I removed it to try and figure out WHERE the bunch of liquid was coming from..... Nothing on the front end. Totally dry around the water pump and below. As near as I can tell (PRESUMING the thermostat housing is at the FRONT of the engine) there's NOTHING anywhere around the thermostat or housing...

SO, around to the BACK of things....... Looking up I saw a LITTLE liquid on a (the?) upper radiator hose that's at the back of the engine (driver's side in the US). From above this is the area I was checking

Auto part Engine Fuel line Vehicle Pipe


On the left side of the image, there are two hoses, one above the other. On the bottom of the lower one, I BELIEVE there was a small amount of antifreeze. ALSO, there was a little on the metal piece below the engine, approximately below those hoses. BUT, it didn't appear to be anywhere NEAR the amount dumped on the ground.....

SO, I looked for additional bits of antifreeze and found a small amount on the area of the rear of the engine below the housing where those two hoses and the hose from the coolant reservoir all connect (thermostat? What is that thing?)... Anyhow, in the image below, you can see the small amount of liquid in that area.

Auto part Fuel line Suspension Suspension part Wheel


The coolant reservoir DOESN'T appear to be any lower than it was when I added antifreeze Tuesday, nor does there appear to be a large amount sitting anywhere - the amount I see in the image doesn't seem anywhere near enough to account for the amount on the ground.......

SO, drive it a hundred miles and got NOTHING on the driveway. Drove it 5 today and got a bunch. Drove it 5 again tonight, no drips and there's nothing looking any different...

Is the housing above where the small amount of antifreeze the thermostat (I THOUGHT it was at the front of the engine). If not, what is it, and why would it be leaking? Is this a normal thing on this vehicle or something bizarre?
 
#17 ·
View attachment 208554

On the left side of the image, there are two hoses, one above the other.
Water outlet. I'd consider having the car towed. The failure can go from minor to catastrophic without warning. You do NOT want to overheat this engine. The temp gauge (at least in the US) isn't all that helpful. You can't see actual temperature - just the computer's opinion on if the temp is normal or not.
 
#15 ·
It is your water outlet that is leaking. I would bet my last dollar. The thing is plastic and it is either a cheap part that breaks after a few winters or they don't know how to put it on at the factory. I think a combination and I also think it is the reason they have been having water pump problems but that is only speculation on my part. Tell them to replace the water outlet and if you are within your powertrain warranty it will be covered.
 
#16 ·
I would have to agree w/ @jsusanka this looks like the typical water outlet leak, or it could possibly be the outlet hose leaking right at the clamp. I would get a flash light & idle the car & look to see if you can see if you see it leaking. If you cannot see it leaking while its idling, I would clean the area really well & make sure it not wet on the hose & the outlet area ( Make sure the engine is cool ) before whipping up any coolant. Then take it for a ride to get the pressure going up & then do your investigation to pin point the location.
 
#18 ·
I just had my water pump replaced for doing just this. The water outlet is covered so unless a hose gave away it's a special coverage for the water pump (150,000 miles/10 years).
 
#19 · (Edited)
Cool... I'll have to check, but I thought the 2011 Cruze was limited to 3 yrs, 36K. But, if it IS covered by some warranty, I'll have the dealer change it..

So, the black housing at the rear of the engine, with a couple hoses going into it, is the WATER OUTLET?

I'll find out about the warrany, if any, tomorrow at the local dealer. BTW: I just checked online and it SAYS it's 5 YRS, 100,000 miles. We're past that since the car was bought in November, 2010. I'm not sure where they're covered for 10 years, or if that's applicable to the US, but I"ll check tomorrow.
 
#20 ·
So, the black housing at the rear of the engine, with a couple hoses going into it, is the WATER OUTLET?
Yes.


I'll find out about the warrany, if any, tomorrow at the local dealer. BTW: I just checked online and it SAYS it's 5 YRS, 100,000 miles. We're past that since the car was bought in November, 2010. I'm not sure where they're covered for 10 years, or if that's applicable to the US, but I"ll check tomorrow.
In the US, the powertrain is 10 years/100,000 miles.
 
#23 ·
Hello, OP here! :D


When my wife got home yesterday I went out to the Cruze about 5 minutes later & could see the coolant spraying:
https://youtu.be/4emCX2ObTPs
When playing back I needed to put quality to HD & brightness to full to see the spray.


Also the coolant was bubbling:
https://youtu.be/d6bQ_igR8I8


After a few more minutes the coolant was gone from the reservoir. I think it had settled back down in the engine:
https://youtu.be/0PgJ8ZCyncM


I don't know my way around a car engine. With the heat & pressure I was very hesitant about sticking my face under the bonnet to get a better look. I did touch the pipe that goes to the fan & it was way too hot to keep touching.


Two and a half hours later I returned & put 2 litres of water in the reservoir to get it above the fill line. I started the engine & in less than 2 minutes I found were the spray must have been coming from:
https://youtu.be/3PHnKHBr4Rc
Where the hose connection was bubbling it was also dripping underneath. I couldn't get the dripping on video.


What is this little hose? Should it be leaking if there's some other problem or could that be the cause of the problem?


Thanks again guys.
 
#24 ·
I just looked at the last video. Pull that hose off (after the engine is cool) and clean the inside of the hose and verify there are no cracks on the coolant tank. If those are good get a new clamp and use it to reassemble. If either the hose is damaged inside or the tank is cracked replace that part and then use a new clamp to reassemble. If you end up replacing the tank take the time to check the lower hose for damage and use a new clamp there as well. Those are not power train items.
 
#28 ·
Does anybody know where there is instructions or a tutorial for replacing the coolant reservoir? I've never worked on a car before. So far I've found out I need to buy some hose clamp pliers. The tank looks like it is (or was) 2 pieces. Does the top quarter come off?

Thanks again.
 
#29 ·
The tank is a single piece. You can purchase replacement tanks at RockAuto.com. 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE 1.4L L4 Turbocharged Coolant Recovery Tank | RockAuto

Don't forget the hose and two clamps. Regular pliers should handle the clamps. Since you're replacing the tank also replace the cap. The o-ring on the cap deforms over time and won't hold pressure as well, especially as we head into Winter. Before you begin you'll need to get Dexcool - mix it 50/50 with clean tap water (I'd use boiled/decanted water to avoid any deposits in the water). I believe your owners manual will list how much you need.

After replacing the tank, fill it to the top of the arrow on the rib just below the weld (OEM tank) and then start your engine with the cap off. As the coolant circulates it will lower the tank level - fill to keep it at level. Once the engine reaches operating temperature cap off the coolant tank. Save the rest of your dexcool/water mix because you'll need more for each of the next several tanks of gas as air works it's way out of the system.
 
#30 ·
There is a clip on the bottom left of the tank. Clips the tank on the left to the body seam on the right. It come straight up. Then slide the tank back and then raise the back and come out. You'll see the grove it slides in once removed.

I wouldn't think you should have too much loss. Just hold the lines up after removal. Then squeeze the radiator hoses to bring up any air close to the tank.
If you have air in the system the service manual calls for holding the throttle at 2500 rpm until it circulates or the fan comes on. The tank is vented. And is not airtight until the temp rises.
On leaving the cap off.. idk if I would do that. Shouldn't leak too bad if idling. But at 2500 rpm if the thermostat opens it may. Also The system cannot seal off and have any pressure.
 
#31 ·
Another thing. If your coolant doesn't have a strong mix it will boil easier with the cap off. If it boils you will have problems with the sensors and have a domino affect. Their will be areas on the head and around the cylinder that are hotter than what comes out to the temp sensor. These are the areas that could potentially boil if the system isn't sealed.

If this had a conventional thermostat and rated at 190 or 200 I wouldn't think anything of it. But at 221 and with this design I would not bring it up to operating temperature without the cap tightened all the way down.
 
#32 ·
I did it!

I fixed my first ever car problem. Thanks for all the advice that got my brain cranking.

I bought another reservoir off a wrecker for AU$50. I used multigrips to move the hose clamps. I topped up the coolant & ran the engine with the cap off for about 10 minutes. There was a bit of bubbling every now & then. When the bubbling slowed down and the temperature needle finally started to rise I put the lid on & ran the engine for 20 minutes. The coolant level went up about 4cm & later dropped a couple before staying steady.

I'll check the levels in the morning to make sure there's no problem and my wife will drive to work.

The reservoir I bought has a plug underneath. I was told it's a level sensor. And I noticed both reservoirs have the words "with level sensor" (or something like that) moulded into them. I'm wondering why my original reservoir didn't have the sensor. Is it a luxury item? I can't see a lead for the sensor.

Auto part Automotive lighting Vehicle Automotive exterior Engine
 
#34 ·
Congratulations. At the prices for this if I need to replace mine I'll probably do it myself as well.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top