Dealer claims my radiator is cracked and leaking...

[MystichromeVert]

... only problem is, I can't find a crack or any leaked coolant anywhere?

Mazda of South Charlotte had my '02 Protege5 (110k miles) earlier this week to do the timing belt and water pump. I usually do all my own maintenance, but just didn't feel like messing with the timing belt. They did a vehicle inspection while it was there. A leaking radiator was one of the many things they tried telling me needed repaired.

I can't remember the last time I had to put coolant in the engine. To my knowledge it hasn't been running hot and there are no coolant puddles on my garage floor. The overflow tank is between the min and full marks (but with the dealer just replacing the water pump, I'm not sure whether they added coolant to the overflow tank or not). So what gives? The tech had to have seen something that concerned him in order to say the radiator is cracked. Of course, since I declined the $550 repair bill, they weren't very helpful in pointing out the crack.

So I guess my question is, are the Protege5 radiator's notorious for cracking in certain places? The service manager claimed the crack was on a tank that is part of the radiator (not the overflow tank, I specifically asked). I assume something was lost in translation between the tech and the service manager and I didn't get to talk to the tech directly. Anybody have any suggestions on where I should look to find this elusive crack?

 

[CTt3P5]

I replaced my rad when it started leaking along the top edge. Never had any puddles under the car or even small drips, just noticed that the overflow tank level was always dropping. I'd check along the top edge of the rad to see if you can spot any dried coolant residue. If you don't find anything do you know a mechanic whom you can trust to look it over? Then you'll know if the tech was full of s*** and just trying to gouge your wallet.

 

[MystichromeVert]

That's the problem, I don't know of any other good shops in the area to get a second opinion. Just moved to Charlotte last summer and figured a Mazda dealer would be the safest bet for the timing belt replacement.

Thanks for the information, by the way!

 

[surfninjas]

Test it. Rent a kit from auto zone. Refund upon rental return. Its easy. I suck and I did it.

 

[CTt3P5]

Ask co-workers if they can recommend a shop?

Or as surfninjas suggested, rent the kit from AZ, no money out of pocket and something I wasn't aware they had.

 

[Valk]

Just go buy a radiator and a 10mm.wrench. very cheap and very easy to.chanhe yourself. takes half hour.

 

[ZealoustheEnder]

Yes the tanks plastic and likes to crack at the top around the fill cap and right across the top. You can usually see it starting before it happens. Like Volk said it's an easy fix only tools are a 10 millimeter wrench and some pliers to get the hose clamps off

 

[hotcracker69]

mine was not cracked, but the seam on the top started to come apart after 13 years, anyway, like other have said the radiator is cheap to replace. about 60-80 bucks, check your hoses while you are at it.

do it yourself, remember to recycle the fluids.

so take it to a shop, it should not be more the 200-250 to replace one at a shop. not $550.00

 

[MystichromeVert]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll check the top of the radiator and it sounds like replacing it (whether cracked or not) isn't a bad idea at this point.

 

[njintau_fsd]

Sounds like they were trying to scam you out of an extra $500. What I found to be a red flag was when they didn't want to point out the crack to you. In my experience, all the reliable mechanics I've dealt with would first point out the crack or leak then suggest a fix and provide a quote. This way, I had the option to 1) get a second opinion or 2) fix it myself. A few years back, when I had my 626, I took it to get the tires replaced and the mechanic noticed a leak from the transmission. Not only did he let me know, he took me to the shop floor and pointed the leak to me while it was still up in the air and suggested that I just watch it since, by his opinion, it was a slow leak. He never quoted me a price or anything.

If I were you, I'd watch your coolant reservoir. If the coolant levels going down, look for leaks starting at the reservoir, then the upper radiator hose, lower radiator hose, thermostat housing etc. If you see any kind of sedimentation (usually its a white/gray powder with a greenish tint) that's where your leak is. In my experience, the culprits are usually the reservoir, upper radiator hose and the hoses for the heater core (definitely possible if you're losing coolant but you're not finding a leak.)

 

[kms1990]

check your radiator car, when mine failed i thought i had a leak but could not find coolant leaking or deposits anywhere. so i turned on the car let it warmed up while on ramps and had a friend under it and me watching the top and we saw the cap open way too early and let out coolant it was letting out coolant at normal temp. like it was overheating slightly i thought i had a radiator leak turned out to be an $8 cap the stealership will always try to pull out the most expensive fix for a problem. they may even know its just a cap or a hose leaking but want to do the radiator to charge you. always go to a trusted independent shop for second opinion or have a mechanically inclined friend help you first