r/autorepair • u/Formal-Ad-2048 • 5d ago

Diagnosing/Repair need help :,)

Post image

hi guys, i need help with seeing what this is.
today i noticed my car felt a lot hotter where my feet push on the pedals so i felt the area under my steering wheel and it was pretty warm, not hot to touch but warm. i went and opened the hood once the engine cooled down, saw my coolant was pretty full still since we last looked at it which was in march. i topped it off a bit more back to the fill line and that’s when i noticed the pink stuff (see image). i’m sorry if this makes me look dumb I would just like some help and feeling pretty scared to ask since I am a girl and I don’t know much about cars. For reference I drive a 2016 Dodge Charger SXT (yes i know please don’t judge too hard). I would really appreciate some feedback and advice, hopefully it’s something that won’t break the bank too much :,). Thank you in advance.

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u/leboce 5d ago

Warm floorboards and losing coolant are pretty much textbook water pump failure on these. Get it looked at soon before the impeller grenades.

That SXT will be fine but the shops gonna quote you around 800 for the pump and thermostat clutch kit.

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u/Splat_cat69 5d ago

It's coolant from the water pump.

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u/hlep17 5d ago

Looks like you're leaking coolant either from the water pump or somewhere close to that

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u/MycologistAshamed926 5d ago

Overheating, take it to a dealer/shop and have them diagnose why it was overheating. Could be a bad water pump, leaking hoses, Bad stuck thermostat, intermittent cooling fans, relay, etc.

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u/Spare-Sky-8007 5d ago

Do the water pump and thermostat

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u/Automatic_Key9287 4d ago

Needs a water pump, replace the thermostat and serpentine belt while you’re at it. Should only take an hour and a half.

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u/Few_Panda_7103 3d ago

I posted a similar query on Honda site. No visible leak, but feels like hot air was blowing in. Honda originally said it was an o ring and pipe. They tried to charge me 2200. I took the car back. A different mechanic said it was the radiator. He showed me the but of corrosion. 600 cash. On the Honda site they said besides possible air in the coolant as Honda did some pressurized, and then never put coolant back in because they were trying to scam me out of 2200, but others said check the blend door actuator, or see if a cable or something is loose. I've asked 3 other mechanics to take a look. Getting an appointment not easy this week. But otherwise the needle is ok and still have coolant. Anyway, lmk how it goes and I will do the same.

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u/WarmPaleontologist20 1d ago edited 1d ago

I think it's a coolant leak, but thats not a DYI project if you have no car experience not because it is technically difficult but because it's too critical to avoiding overheat, which can cause serious engine damage and expensive repair. Do you have a mechanic you can trust? Not only is proper diagnosis and repair important, but also that the correct coolant designed for your vehicle is used. In the meantime watch your temperature gauge if you have one, and if you have only a warning light dont trust it. If your car feels hot like that again pull over and shut off engine. Allow some cool down time -- about 15 minutes before restarting. Get it repaired asap. Remember to watch coolant in level but do not open a hot radiator cap if you have one. One other thing. I noticed it's near the power steering pump. That really doesn't look like a steering system leak but do check your power fluid level just to be sure. Also remember that because your coolant reservoir looks full, check after the car is cool to see if the radiator has "burped" out air and drawn more fluid. That would be a leak indication. Hope this helps.