Coolant leaking under vehicle - 2009 Dodge Journey

If you are losing coolant in a modern automobile at any significant rate of loss, then there most certainly IS a leak. The most common source of undetected leakage is from a worn out water pump. Many newer cars have their water pump concealed in the area of the timing belt. Here the coolant leaks out and evaporates on the engine block before there is any ability to visually detect it. Even older cars that have external pumps have "weep holes" under the drive pulley to provide early detection of impeding failure. Often, however, these leaks also evaporate on the engine before detection as many of these pumps are hidden well behind and under other components. Water pumps also have the "magic" ability to not leak when the engine stops rotating, even while there is still pressure in the cooling system, so you rarely get any coolant puddling under the vehicle to give away the problem. If the vehicle has more than 70K miles and has never had the water pump replaced, that is probably the first thing I would check out.

Did you listen to the radiator too see if it gurgles when filling? When filling the gurgling tells you there are no air or coolant leaks in the engine much the same as an upside down soda bottle gurgles when turned upside down. Also look in the radiator too see if bubbles are coming from the bottom of the radiator while running at normal operating temperature with the cap off.? If you see bubbles coming from the bottom, you have a leaking head gasket. This can and will happen without the coolant leaking into oil, and without oil leaking into coolant. The gasket leaks right near the cylinder and sucks the coolant into the cylinder on the intake stroke, and blows it back into the radiator on compression stroke. This is why the coolant bubbles up from the bottom. The coolant that gets sucked in gets vaporized and comes out the exhaust. Loosing coolant ?? This is where it is going if no leaks under or around around the vehicle.Good luck I hope this solves your problem. Please post a solved comment on fixya, so I receive credit for the solve.

When you said that sometimes you smell coolant you do mean that whilst you are in car or with bonnet open in front of the engine?
If the smell you do get is whilst you are in car then means that you do have a coolant leak from the heater matrix. Check you floor mats whether are wet,if they are,means you do have a problem and the person who will help you is your electrician.
Good luck!

if you see no visable leaks, or puddles on ground under vehicle to pinpoint leak, but keep having to add coolant I would suspect intake gasket leak. coolant burning through exhaust system, when really bad excessive white smoke from exhaust will be noticable

DW Mylin

Do you see a lot of white smoke rom the exhaust? If so, Head gasket. Check to see if the oil & coolant are mixing together, (ck the oil for coolant & the coolant for oil) . Its got to be going somewhere. Do you see any puddles after parked? SPEAK TO MANAGEMENT BEFORE YOUR WARRANTY EXPIRES. Good luck.

could be a intake gasket could be a water pump could be anything you need to look under it and see where is going from

One of two places the Coolant will escape from! Check all of ur hoses . For soft or swollen ! These engines are notorious for head problems!

Your vehicles heater core has developed a hole and or leak, the heater core is the unit that looks like a small radiator that transfers heat out of the coolant and into the interior of your vehicle in order to keep you nice and toasty warm when you use your heater, it is tucked up under the dash behind the glove compartment, so when it is leaking, this will leak coolant into the interior of your vehicle.
It is most fesable to replace the heater core, rather than to repair it.
GOOD LUCK !

sounds like you got a heater core leak,the heater core is what the coolant flows thru into your heater box in your dash to allow you to have heat,sounds like the core is leaking,by the smell and the low coolant i would say it is leaking, youll need to replace it before it blows out, you dont need 2 gallon of 200 degree coolant flowing into your car,,,