mysterious fluid leak

[foster1961]

A mysterious fluid leak has occured on my 2001 LW200 (4-cyl) and saturated the entire carpet inside on the front passenger floor. It has an oily consistency much like coolant or possibly transmission fluid. (it was not immediately noticeable due to the floor mats in place)

This leak found recently and after observing the coolant light on dash, inidcating low fluid warning. Fluid was added and light went out. This occurred many times in recent couple months followed by the discovery of the oily substance on carpet.

Transmission fluid was changed recently, also. There is no obvious external leakage anywhere except the floor area.

Yikes! what a mess. Any ideas on where to start for diagnosis???

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by foster1961

A mysterious fluid leak has occured on my 2001 LW200 (4-cyl) and saturated the entire carpet inside on the front passenger floor. It has an oily consistency much like coolant or possibly transmission fluid. (it was not immediately noticeable due to the floor mats in place)

This leak found recently and after observing the coolant light on dash, inidcating low fluid warning. Fluid was added and light went out. This occurred many times in recent couple months followed by the discovery of the oily substance on carpet.

Transmission fluid was changed recently, also. There is no obvious external leakage anywhere except the floor area.

Yikes! what a mess. Any ideas on where to start for diagnosis???

Well a wet carpet and coolant lose points to heater core leak.
Look on the bottom of heater housing for engine coolant.
On quick note is to look where the heater hose from engine run into the firewall.
I have saw a few times the hose would leak at the end where it goes onto the heater core and squirt on into the heater housing.
You could put a pressure tester on rad and see where it leaks out.
But 99 out of a 100 times it is a leaking heater core.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
MT

[ksion15]

Your heater core is just behind the right side closeout panel under the dash. it could either be the heater core itself or there are o-rings where the heater core join the pipes coming through the firewall. most of the time it is just the o-rings leaking. sometimes it is a pain trying to pull the pipes loose from the heater core. but they will come loose(eventually).