Hey guys - new here, but I did a pretty extensive search before feeling compelled to post about my issue.

Here are the basics: 06, Base AT, 126k miles, all maintenance records ever / done regularly (I'm the second owner). I've had the car for a year now and it's been a total blast to own! I noticed that there appeared to be dried coolant around the top of radiator when I first bought it, frankly there was quite a bit of it, but zero signs of a leak, so I thought it was just a service tech or the previous owner being sloppy. The reservoir was pretty low, so I topped her off and cleaned up the engine bay.

Over the last 6 months I've had to add fluid twice to the reservoir because it was showing pretty low again. Both times I've noticed dried coolant is around the top of the radiator, spefically near the cap and the hose running from the radiator to the reservoir. The hoses do not appear to be cracked or lose, but I've ordered new ones nonetheless.

My question is, has anyone else run into this before? And if so, am I looking at something much worse?

There are zero signs of coolant in the oil, nor have I found any other leaks. Car has never over heated and runs very well.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts and advice! Really excited to be apart of the TL community!

 

Pressure test the cap and the radiator.

That's the easiest way to find out if either one or both are bad.
A replacement radiator cap is cheap.
Otherwise, the radiator could have a crack in the neck or the top tank.

G/L.

 

Loosen up the cap from coolant reservoir and clean the radiator from old coolant. If it stops leaking, it leaks on that tiny hose that runs to the reservoir.

Also, like Will wrote, pressure testing won't hurt.

 

The cap from coolant reservoir is prone to cracking at the nozzle--had it happen twice.
Cheap fix.

 

Thanks guys, it ended up being the hose between the radiator and reservoir... cheap and easy fix. I'm a bit surprised there isn't a small clamp on it there.

I really enjoy this car. Its my daily driver, but its been far more rewarding to wrench on and drive than the other car. Lots of little, cheap fixes already in the books. It has me considering investing more time and money into the suspension (coilovers), brakes, and wheels.

 

I'm not sure the clamp would have helped. I had the same problem as you a while back. I tried a hose clamp, but the hose still leaked. I imagine my hose had cracks lengthwise, so a clamp didn't help me.

I bought new hose and problem solved.

 

I bought a new radiator cap and totally cleaned the area in the picture so there was no dried up fluid anywhere.. The next I drove and I smelled radiator fluid AGAIN! And so I opened the hood and took this pic. The black spot is radiator fluid. Its not black, it just looks that way. And I have never had any Clamps on that hose. But it has been been smelling like radiator fluid for the past year! I am only guessing that little spot can make an odor. Because I do not see any dired fluid anywhere else. I looked at the front of my radiator, I squeezed the hoses and checked for weakness slits, and I inspected everything as close as I can but I see no evidence of radiator fluid leaking anywhere Except on the reservior TIP. And its not coming from the top of the tip.. So it is either seeping out of the hose OR the plastic tip has a hairline crack.. Not sure yet.

 

Hello,

I don't think a clamp is oem for that hose. I put one on hoping it would stop the leak until I found time to go to dealer. The clamp did not help at all. The new hose fixed the problem.
The hose is 3.75 from the dealer for a 2005 base.

19103-RCA-A00

 

The hose seems fine and that part is not available at any honda or acura dealer in Dallas. Which seems ironic if it fails.. Still, I suppose I can go to oriellys and pick up one. We shall see if it works.. I'm not convinced but we shall see if it works. haha But it has to be either the hose or the plastic tip.. Can't hurt to try a hose first since I already replaced the cap!

 

Very common to have small leaks there, luckily it's not a critical failure. Alot of times, the overflow cap cracks and rad cap fails.

 

ya I got a new hose for it.. The leak stopped. Now I am monitoring it for "Odor". I was getting a radiator fluid smell. But there are no other leaks that I see, and the fluid level has barely changed.. So, maybe all that smell was coming from that tiny leak? I dont know yet.. I have to drive it more.

 

Do you smell any radiator fluid ? It may be more pronounced in Summer or on warmer days than colder, like under 60 degrees.

 

All you need to do is to put on a couple spring clamps, and there would be 0 leak. There should be spring clamps even though there is no pressure there, but in OEM form, there are no clamps. There is heat expansion and contraction around that area constantly.