Leaking red fluid Gen II 103,000 miles

Is the fluid dark red or pink? The transaxle fluid is dark red and the coolant is pink.

If dark red it could be something as simple as an axle seal leak. If it is pink the most likely suspect would be the engine coolant pump leaking.

Your mechanic should have been able to determne this without taking anything apart, other than maybe the engine undercover. I would definitely get a second opinion.

Where are you in NC?

 

Yes. He should be able to look at the back side of the pulley on the front of the engine and see evidence of the pink. With this amount he should be able to see it on the AC compressor also. He may have to look closely and may have to use a mirror or something but he should be able to see it. The most likely suspect is the engine coolant pump which is a minor replacement.

It could possibly be leaking from the underside of the transaxle but you should be able to see this on the engine undercover.

Check your coolant reservoirs, both the engine and the inverter/transaxle. If one of these is low this could be the indication of which one is leaking.

 

Never mind. Already answered more quickly than I can type and edit.

 

"I took it to a local mechanic who comes well recommended and personally owns a Prius. Looking under the car, he says it's "coolant" but can't find a leak and says he must take the transaxle apart... maybe have to replace it!!"

Do not ever go to this mechanic again...not even for tire pressures.

 

oops duplicate

 

No. The inverter water pump is on the driver's side. The gasoline engine water pump is on the front passenger's side.

At the end of the post below is a youtube video showing where the gas engine water pump is located.

ICE water pump replacement - Gen II | PriusChat

 

If you pull off all the lower covers, give it a good belly wash, do an idle run and short road trip, you should be able to localize the leak easily...but that's easy to say from here.

 

Mullin,

How far are you from Sanford NC? Dave Talor at Taylor Automotive : Automotive Service and Maintenance in Sanford, NC is very good at fixing Prii.

JeffD

 

My suggestion is that you buy a gallon of Toyota Super Long Life coolant from your local Toyota dealer's parts dept. When the car is cold, fill the inverter coolant reservoir to the full mark. Fill the engine coolant reservoir to the full line. Remove the black plastic cover over the radiator, remove the radiator cap, and fill the radiator neck to the top, if needed.

Now you have a baseline where you are starting from full. Drive the car for the next few days and see where the leak is coming from, by looking at the fluid levels when the car is cold. Then at least you'll know whether the engine or the inverter/transaxle is the problem. You can also see how long it takes for the leak to be reflected in a noticeable drop in coolant level.

Once the leak has been narrowed down to engine or inverter/transaxle, it will be easier for the mechanic to figure out the precise source of the leak.

A dime-sized leak doesn't sound like much, but it does appear that the leak amount is increasing over time according to your OP. So it would be good to figure out the source of the leak and fix it.

 

I had a similar issue. It was a $10 fix and 10 minutes of my time. It was the thermostat seal that presses against the coolant cap. Feel underneath it with your fingers, if you should feel the wetness, replace your thermostat.

It drove me crazy, the pools of red on the floor in my garage. I almost spent $500+ for a mechanical water pump replacement and fluid flush at a local Toyota Dealership.

Needless to say, no more pools. The pools made it hard to pinpoint where the leak came from. I thought it was the rear too. It was in the front instead.

 

Hmm, bad gasket on the thermostat, eh?

Another thing I'll need to inspect periodically, thanks a11m1ghty.

 

I think I have a similar problem, I lifted the car and looked underneath, the leak was coming off from the tube connected to the engine coolant reservoir cap. Is it normal for the coolant fluid to leak off the tube attached to the Engine coolant reservoir cap? Is is the same problem as the thermostat seal against the coolant cap, if yes is it the cap on the reservoir? I am certain it is off that pipe because all the underside of the pipes had the pink residue, not so much the top side. Appears the leak is falling on the fan blades and the fan blades splattering it all over. I do see some residue on the water pump as well, so I think that needs to be replaced as well but before that I wanted to isolate additional leaks.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks
Mani