[911tovolt]

Hi all,

I have a 2013 Volt with 75,000 miles on it. I noticed a sweet smell recently, and found a dripping leak on the center aluminum pipe connection in the middle of the drivetrain just under the plastic engine cover. I'll attach some photos.

Has anyone had a leak here...and did replacing the seal fix it? How can I find out what part number to order?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[911tovolt]

One thing I noticed is that the coolant leaking was cold even though my car had been running in 100 degree weather for over an hour. Is this the cold half of the battery cooling system that is leaking?

 

[oldstuff]

That appears to be a refrigeration tube so it was probably sweating liquid from condensation. Not what you smelled.

 

[Steverino]

Coolant is a pink/reddish-orange color. Your picture #2 (upside down?) appears to show a clear drip (dripping up, haha). Looks like water.

 

[DShields11]

Supporting Oldstuff and Steverino, if you follow that line around to the front of the engine you'll see a black-capped air conditioner refrigerant charge port. The drip is clear, if it were coolant it would have an orange tinge to it. The drip is just moisture condensing on the outside of that line, that's why the "leaked" fluid felt cold to you.

 

[911tovolt]

Yeah I was suspicious this was the case. But this is the only liquid dripping out of the car, and after touching the liquid I thought it had a sweet smell.

The burnt coolant smell is pretty intense inside the cabin (with the AC on) and inside the engine compartment, but I'm still only halfway down to the minimum on the coolant tank. Where else should I look for common coolant leaks?

 

[El Dobro]

I don't recall hearing of any common coolant leaks.

 

[Steverino]

Where else should I look for common coolant leaks?

The garage floor.

 

[n1acguy]

It's the engine coolant reservoir that's low? Keep in mind that the battery and power electronics each have a coolant reservoir. In all there are three coolant reservoirs under the hood. The one at the passenger side fender is the engine. The 2 at the front are battery and electronics.
Not sure about power electronics but the battery cooling circuit has a lot of connections under the car.
Sounds like you're smelling a leak that's not serious enough yet that it leaves anything on the ground. I would do the same thing you're doing, find out what it is.

 

[Cord]

Please add a front 2 tank picture

and mark the level or re-fill to the levels shown in the FAQ and keep an eye on it .
( the right eye if you are left brain type )

 

[911tovolt]

It's the engine coolant reservoir that's low? Keep in mind that the battery and power electronics each have a coolant reservoir. In all there are three coolant reservoirs under the hood. The one at the passenger side fender is the engine. The 2 at the front are battery and electronics.
Not sure about power electronics but the battery cooling circuit has a lot of connections under the car.
Sounds like you're smelling a leak that's not serious enough yet that it leaves anything on the ground. I would do the same thing you're doing, find out what it is.

Yes, the engine coolant tank is whats low...the battery cooling tank was slightly low also. Sorry I'm a long time shade tree mechanic but not used to a car with three separate cooling systems.

There has never been any coolant dripping from the car at all. The drip from my original post was just from the A/C aluminum pipes.

So I happened to get a coupon for free diagnostics at the dealer, and they found a radiator hose leaking. $250 later I had a new hose installed. Same smell problem persists and my engine coolant tank is low again. Perhaps radiator core or side tanks have a pinhole or crack?

Dealer said the battery tank wasn't low enough to be suspicious but now I wonder...

 

[Cord]

send a picture and be less suspicious

and make sure that they use the 50/50 ACDelco DEX-COOL® ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT for th battery coolant

 

[FI Spyder]

and make sure that they use the 50/50 ACDelco DEX-COOL® ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT for th battery coolant

Make sure you get the right DEX-Cool coolant (by part number). I went to get a jug with the Canadian part number, they didn't have it but had the non deionized stuff (different part number, red cap). They were a non Volt dealer (dealership just changed hands so are in the process of selling Volts/Bolts so I learned). Lordco carries ACDelco coolant but didn't have any of the Volt stuff in any of their stores in Canada. I have to go to a Volt Chevy dealership.

 

[El Dobro]

#12378390 US coolant.

 

[Cord]

and if you forget the part number of the fluids
see:

Recommended Fluids and Lubricants in the user manual:

or search for Fluids in the smartphone remotelink/mychevy app


and "non deionized stuff" would be distilled or purified water

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