I've got a 98 Accord and am having trouble with the coolant. About a month ago (maybe a bit less), my wife and I were out when the A/C started blowing warm air and I noticed the temp gauge started to climb. I pulled over and checked the coolant reservoir and it was almost empty. So, I bought a jug of coolant and filled it up. This morning, I was in the drive through and the temp guage climbed up to the max. The A/C was working fine and the car didn't act hot, so I thought it was possibly a gauge problem. Driving home, whenever I was driving, the gauge dropped to a normal level. At stop lights, it would climb back to the top. When I got home, I checked the reservoir and it was bone dry! Previously, it had given no indication that the engine was hot or the coolant was low. The temp gauge had not run even slightly hot. We've not noticed any leak on our driveway at all either. Any ideas what is going on? What would cause all the coolant to disappear in a little under a month? Like I said, you'd think if it was leaking, we'd see something, but not so much as a wet spot under the car.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

Bryan-

Probably a oozing leak. My first guess is the radiator --- but, it could also be a hose or the water pump. I had a similar problems on my old '93.

John
San Diego

 

When you refilled the reservoir, did you check the actual radiator? If there's air in THERE, that might explain why the gauge didn't get hot the 2nd time around.

Still, the coolant has to be going somewhere. If you can't find a leak, a good way to check is to pressurize the cooling system cold, so it doesn't immediately evaporate.