Just noticed this today. It's pretty strong coming from under the hood but I cannot see any leak whatsoever. I just had a leaking block heater replaced a couple of weeks ago but the new one has not leaked at all. Any ideas?

 

My radiator overflow hose leaked big time until I fixed it with a hose clamp.

 

Take it to the car wash and high pressure wash everything up front to ensure they didn't waste fluid all over the place then check for the antifreeze smell again

 

I had this problem on a Dakota once. I could never find the leak but could smell it. What I finally did was shut it off after I drove to work one day and immediately opened the hood. I found a pin hole leak in a heater hose that was leaking only when it was under pressure. It was leaking onto the exhaust manifold so there was never evidence of a leak as it was evaporating almost right away.

 

1) Did the hose clamp thing months ago.
2) There is absolutely no sign of antifreeze anywhere.
3) The truck is not running hot.
4) I checked it with the engine running but could still not see anything.. I guess I'll keep checking until I finally find it.

Thanks for the replies....

 

I know its new, but you may want to check the radiator tank(s) where they seal up to the core. I had another vehicle that leaked there.

A leaking heater core is also a prime suspect, but again, not normally on a new vehicle.

 

The smell is coming from under the hood, not inside the cab. I checked where the heater hoses go into the firwall and no leaks there either. It did not smell nearly as strong this morning so I'll see if it continues to get better. My overflow tank is a couple of inches low but that may have been caused by them putting the new block heater in and never filling it back up.

Thanks again...

 

I have another wrench to throw into the spokes...

Right below the cap to the radiator reservoir (the opaque plartic tank on the driver's side of the radatior) there is a "hole" that looks like something like a tube should plug in. It is "free" air to the reservoir...it seems like this is wrong and would alow contamination of the coolant. Could anyone else look to see if their "port" is open or if there is a plug or?

Thanks!

 

I had a problem like that on a couple of cars(GM's). Both were newer cars, and the heater cores were leaking. Push for them to check that if you can't find any leaks, as I have heard of them leaving it (on cars) until it blows all over the inside of the vehicle!

 

Cquestad, mine is open too and if I stick my nose close to the hole I can smell some anti-freeze but it doesn't seem to be where it was coming from. Yesterday on the drive home I did not smell anything so who knows what it was. I may plug that hole up as I was thinking the same as you about how stupid that hole seemed. It must be some kind of vent.....

It smells kind of good though, it makes me thirsty...

 

I think if the vent you are talking about is on the reservoir, you need it to be open to atmosphere in order for the coolant to move in and out with expansion.