I checked engine oil level, that looks good... what happened...?
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Help! Car just overheated and started smoking... red fluid all over engine compartment... (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter geargarcon
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JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Don’t drive! You have a bad coolant leak somewhere. Check radiator, radiator cap, upper and low rad hoses, heater Ts, oil cooler hoses, water pump, etc.
Tough to tell on my phone, and maybe I’m seeing things, but that fluid looks an awful lot like ATF rather than coolant. How old is your radiator?
Tough to tell on my phone, and maybe I’m seeing things, but that fluid looks an awful lot like ATF rather than coolant. How old is your radiator?
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- Thread starter
- #4
well AAA on the way. I put on the gas out of a stop light and it didn’t respond well, I could decide if I was imagining it... then gave it some gas and little to no response. The engine temp light came on. Pulled over immediately, started smelling smoke, opened the hood and saw smoke come out. Car then proceeded to dump fluid all over the ground once I pulled over.
The odd thing is all of this happened right after I washed the back windshield, I walked back there and there is red fluid back there too....
I just took it in for a check up last week..... curious if something wasn’t put back together right.......
hoping this doesn’t end up being a major expense....
The odd thing is all of this happened right after I washed the back windshield, I walked back there and there is red fluid back there too....
I just took it in for a check up last week..... curious if something wasn’t put back together right.......
hoping this doesn’t end up being a major expense....
- Thread starter
- #5
could be ATF, that was my first guess after a little google research.
bought this in Jan so I’m not sure how old the radiator is. It definitely has some miles on it though
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Does the fluid feel oily or watery?
- Thread starter
- #7
just checked coolant levels. They are still at full. Looks like ATF then to me.
Now that I have some time to search mud as I wait for the tow, looks like that was the same problem someone else had
Now that I have some time to search mud as I wait for the tow, looks like that was the same problem someone else had
- Thread starter
- #8
definitely oily
Looks like you either lost a trans cooler line or you lost a power steering line.
Then your cooling fan slung the ATF everywhere.
Then your cooling fan slung the ATF everywhere.
This happened to me yesterday, one of the high pressure steering line rubbed against something and put a hole in it, spraying ATF everywhere
Yours look like it's from a transmission line, but that wouldn't be slinging like that unless shet hits the fan.
Yours look like it's from a transmission line, but that wouldn't be slinging like that unless shet hits the fan.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
This still doesn’t explain the overheating issue. What engine temp light came on?
hoser
SILVER Star
Follow the transmission oil cooler (in front of the radiator) and it's coolant lines that lead to the transmission.
- Thread starter
- #13
very very briefly the red oil temp light came on then popped back off. Oil temp gauge though was below half way up the gauge at that point.
also curious why it was not responding when I gave it gas.... maybe just over heating?
- Thread starter
- #14
Edited to also add picture of the leak at the rear and the red fluid that somehow came out of my windshield washer despenser
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
That’s not engine overheating. Your transmission has no fluid.
- Thread starter
- #16
Could be it...
leak at the very front of the car and see a leak at the base of that line
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
That’s not a transmission fluid line...You’re looking for rubber hoses about 1/2” in diameter.
- Thread starter
- #18
Well car is on the tow truck now. No more pictures to be taken. Thanks for the help guys. Will update when I can
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Oh no! So sorry to see this... bummer to miss the trip though, dang it. Looks like you're close to the leak though hopefully it's not too serious in the end.
Eyedaho
SILVER Star
Luckily you'll probably get out of this with minimal cost and without hopefully without damage. If it's just a ruptured transmission cooling line and you didn't spend too much time trying to drive without transmission fluid, you should just need the line replaced and the transmission filled. Hopefully no drama! 
