My 2009 Mazda 5 has an engine coolant odor while running and for a short time after the engine is shut down. I've had it to two different dealers, three times, and they say they can smell the odor, but cannot find where it is coming from. I am not losing coolant. Any simular problmes or fixes?
Coolant Odor, 2009 Mazda 5
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- 2008 Mazda5 Touring
Did you buy it new? Has it always smelled? If there's no fluid leaking, then I wouldn't worry about it. What explanation did the dealer give? There's a TSB about the coolant housing being a leak point, but that doesn't affect your year model.
http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda3/bulletin/01-047-08-2000.pdf
http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda3/bulletin/01-047-08-2000.pdf
I did buy it new last July. The odor started to appear within a week or so of getting it. The dealers acknowledges smelling the odor, but have pressure tested the cooling system and say they cannot find anything wrong. They have told me that the problem will not fix it's self. "Just wait for it to break". Nice way to address the issue. Hope it doesn't decide to really break when I'm driving on I-95 at 3:00 in the morning.
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- 2008 Mazda5 Touring
So you've been driving it for a year with an antifreeze/coolant odor, but the fluid level has not changed? This seems illogical.
Is the odor in the cabin only? Or can you smell it outside the car when it's sitting (running or not)?
Is the odor in the cabin only? Or can you smell it outside the car when it's sitting (running or not)?
mazdadude
ZOOOOOOOOOM ZOOOOOOOOOM
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- '16.5 Mazda CX-5 Touring
(boom08)
I am in the camp that believes the problem should be researched some more, and not swept under the rug. It sounds like there might be a small leak somewhere, the best idea I have would be to inspect the rad overflow line to the overflow tank, the overflow tank level, inspect the rad. cap, rad upper and lower tank seams, and the bottom of the overflow tank. The next would be have your shop use a fluro-dye in the antifreeze, drive for a week, and then shop will inspect system with UV light for small leaks.
I am in the camp that believes the problem should be researched some more, and not swept under the rug. It sounds like there might be a small leak somewhere, the best idea I have would be to inspect the rad overflow line to the overflow tank, the overflow tank level, inspect the rad. cap, rad upper and lower tank seams, and the bottom of the overflow tank. The next would be have your shop use a fluro-dye in the antifreeze, drive for a week, and then shop will inspect system with UV light for small leaks.
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Mine did it also. I don't care because the fluid level hasn't changed in 17,000 miles. If you've never spilled coolant on a part that gets really hot, then you wouldn't know that it smells for a really long time. My guess is that part of filling the block and purging it at the factory gets a little dripped out of the "pop" plug where you put the block heater, or something of the like. Which makes me think, do you have a block heater? I put a block heater in my '09 Accord and it smelled like coolant the whole time I had it because I had some drip on part of the suspension when I pulled the plug out. I dried it with a rag, but it still smelled when it got hot under the engine.
I don't have a 5 but have had the same issue since buying it new and had the dealer tell me basically the same thing. Pressure tested the system and found nothing and then flushed the a/c system thinking that would solve the issue.
So I replaced all of the spring clamps with worm clamps after I checked it out myself and found some evidence of coolant droplets.
No more coolant droplets but still have the smell. I've just accepted as a Mazda thing. Like others have said as long as its not losing coolant, you find no traces of it on the ground and have not overheating issues then don't worry about it.
So I replaced all of the spring clamps with worm clamps after I checked it out myself and found some evidence of coolant droplets.
No more coolant droplets but still have the smell. I've just accepted as a Mazda thing. Like others have said as long as its not losing coolant, you find no traces of it on the ground and have not overheating issues then don't worry about it.
