[mrcarey]

All, I have a coolant smell I notice when getting out of my 2022 Highlander. The coolant reservoir is on that side. I had the dealer check it out and they said there weren't any leaks and that while annoying, this was normal. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Toy-sad]

Yep. W got 7000 miles on the vehicle and have been happy with it so far. Dealer didn’t want to look at it at the last oil change. Said I needed to make an appointment for the diagnostician to look at it. The oil change mechanic can’t check it. The Dealer isn’t close so unless I see antifreeze or see a loss in the reservoir I probably won’t deal with it.

 

[ChaMarl]

I haven't noticed any issues with mine. However, if you do see that it is loosing quite a bit of coolant I would have another dealer check it out. Probably not an issue you'd want to deal with when the warranty runs out.

 

[Predgold]

Smelling Antifreeze

So recently I have noticed when my wife gets home and parks in the garage when I happen to be in the garage I can smell antifreeze. This has happened a couple times but not all the time. Just the other day we went through a drive thru and when I rolled the window down to pay I could smell it...

www.toyotanation.com

 

[new echo owner]

Can you actually smell coolant by itself? Don't think there would be any smell even if you are standing right next to an open bucket of coolant.
The only time you can smell coolant is when they had been through the engine and came out from the exhaust, or if some had actually leaked onto the exhaust and evaporated.

 

[2005 es330]

Can you actually smell coolant by itself? Don't think there would be any smell even if you are standing right next to an open bucket of coolant.
The only time you can smell coolant is when they had been through the engine and came out from the exhaust, or if some had actually leaked onto the exhaust and evaporated.

You can smell it, especially when it is hot.

 

[2005 es330]

After a drive and you get home, park the vehicle but do not turn it off pop the hood and have a look around, see if you can see any steam anywhere, look for any leaks, especially on hose connections and at the water pump. If no luck, turn off the engine and get your nose under the hood and sniff around, see if you can find where the smell is strongest. .

Have you been running your heater? You do not smell this from inside the car? no steamed up windshield? Check your floorboard under the dashboard for any damp or wet spots.

The coolant res has an exhaust port I assume, when the vehicle is running look for any steam coming out, look at the res and see if you can make out any bubbles. Constant bubbles can be a sign of exhaust gases getting into the coolant through a break in the head gasket seal. I would think if you are getting enough exhaust pushing through the coolant into the res with hot coolant, it has to get out of the res through the port and take along with it vaporized/steam from the coolant, maybe enough for you to notice the smell.

If the coolant level has not dropped I do not assume you have a leak of coolant into the oil, but would not hurt to take a look at the oil to make sure it is not starting to look milky and check for steam coming out the exhaust.

 

[new echo owner]

You can smell it, especially when it is hot.

If you say so!

 

[rl1990]

Can you actually smell coolant by itself? Don't think there would be any smell even if you are standing right next to an open bucket of coolant.
The only time you can smell coolant is when they had been through the engine and came out from the exhaust, or if some had actually leaked onto the exhaust and evaporated.

Coolant has a distinct sweet smell when it's hot.

The OP may have a pin hole leak in the radiator from road debris, ask me how I know. Pretty much the same conditions, when you would shut off the car and get out you could smell coolant but no leaks on the ground. Turns out it was a very small hole at the top of radiator and it would only leak for a short amount of time after shut down when the pressure was still high in the system. The dealer will have to pressure test the system to rule it out and if it's from a rock hitting it then warranty won't pay for it.

 

[Sporan]

Others have reported this and I get it at times too. Coolant level seems fine after 10k miles so I'm not concerned about it...just keeping an eye on it.

 

[Djbobby]

I have and Continue to have that experience. Especially at a drive through window on a hot summer day here in Florida. Dealer performEd a coolant systems pressure test and “no signs of leakage. .

 

[toto]

Mine still has the smell too on the driver's side. It's most noticeable from the wheel well or from the edge of the hood above the wheel. I've watched the coolant level like a hawk for months and it's not dropping.

Also, the coolant reservoir is on the passenger's side, not the driver's side. The windshield washer fluid reservoir is on the driver's side and much closer to the source of the smell. A post not that long ago suggested that may be the source of the smell, but I haven't put enough energy into it to find out if that's really what's happening. If it is, a washer fluid leak is much less critical than a coolant leak.

 

[2005 es330]

If you say so!

I say so.

 

[mrcarey]

This is awesome info. I'll check into it. In particular, I'm wondering if this is a hidden issue like the head gasket. Something is causing this and I don't buy the idea that "it is what it is" from the dealer. Somebody at Toyota knows what is causing this and they would issue a TSB or other for info to service techs for a thorough explanation if it was really nothing. I'm sure it's a situation of them kicking the can down the road past warranty.

 

[ken2116]

Glycol coolants have a distinct 'musky-sweet" odor when hot - this odor also should be familiar to anyone who's had a leaky radiator or blown a radiator hose. I once had a car that had two heater cores, one under the front seat (so rear passengers got warm feet) and a small separate one for the defroster. I smelled the smell, noticed a greasy mist on the inside of the windshield, and found a leak in the defroster core.

Because the fumes are toxic to breathe, if the source is inside the car you should get it fixed asap. If outside the passenger compartment as yours appears to be, keep looking as it shouldn't be happening. (The exception might be if you have a non-pressurized overflow reservoir whose cap allows a bit of vapor out and you just happen to have a good nose for it.) Pinhole and intermittent leaks can be a challenge - there is a UV fluorescing dye one can add to the coolant to assist in such cases.

 

[theSnakecharmer]

Same issue here 22’ Highlander 6k smell of coolant on the drivers side wheel well area.

 

[theSnakecharmer]

This is awesome info. I'll check into it. In particular, I'm wondering if this is a hidden issue like the head gasket. Something is causing this and I don't buy the idea that "it is what it is" from the dealer. Somebody at Toyota knows what is causing this and they would issue a TSB or other for info to service techs for a thorough explanation if it was really nothing. I'm sure it's a situation of them kicking the can down the road past warranty.

👍

 

[toto]

Somebody at Toyota knows what is causing this and they would issue a TSB or other for info to service techs for a thorough explanation if it was really nothing.

They'd probably only issue a TSB if it was something along with an explanation for how to resolve it.

 

[wolf2]

Interesting. Does anyone else "smell" the radiator fluid. If verified. Then there "is" a leak.

However, 2022, Toyota. Seems way to new to be having a leak.

If it were me: I get a black marker, mark the "overfill plastic" container with a little line. And check daily/weekly, and see if it is dropping. (also remove radiator cap, and be sure radiator is filled to the top, before you do the test).

If there is a leak, the level "must" go down over time. If it does not go down, What you are smelling must be "something" else.

Good luck, let us know what you find out....

 

[toto]

If there is a leak, the level "must" go down over time. If it does not go down, What you are smelling must be "something" else.

This is where I've been with it. It does not go down on mine.
That's why I'm now open to other possibilities, including the washer fluid theory. It's not brake fluid, either; I've been watching that one too.