Well.

The exact same coolant leak I had back in June two weeks after delivery, is back. When it was repaired in June they put on a new assembly, and the new one is now leaking.

Man, and I'm telling you, the Dexcool in this car looks just like automatic transmission fluid when its on the driveway-- lot of red tint to it. The way the leak is, it runs down the back of the block and drips from a engine block case bolt onto top rim of the transmission pan, and then migrates along the transmission pan gasket all the way around and drips from the rear of the transmission pan gasket when the car is parked on an up incline (like my driveway).

So on first impression it mimmicks a leaky transmission pan gasket, but I tracked it right up to the same coolant assembly which is on back of block that athe radiator hose and heater hoses all attach to.

 

Thermostat Housing Assembly, p/n 12597172... this is the part that keeps failing. If they replace it again, it will be the third one installed on the car, counting the original factory piece.

 

That sucks LR...hopefully 3rd time is the charm



Goose

 

Hopefully.... because 4th time (inside of 18 months) is Lemon Law buyback in my state

Not that I would do that, though.

 

Sorry to hear about your problems. I hope they get it fixed it fixed this time for you.

 

hope they get it fixed the right way soon!

 

Did they put a new gasket in ?
add some sealant ?

 

I had a similar problem on my previous car, but with a block heater. The bolts that they were using were too long and were bottoming out in the block. It took a couple of tries for them to figure it out. It could be something as stupid as that.

Keep on it !

Yves

 

Talked to the service advisor today who said the closest part is 5 days out, they can emergency order it but they want the HHR on Monday to check it out befire they can emergency order it. Looks like next week is going to have me in a rental on GM's dime.

As for sealant and gaskets, service receipt from June shows o-rings and gasket.

Coolant reservoir is only down about an inch, but I have a jug of pre-mix Dexcool I can put in if need be until Monday, to keep reservoir up and prevent air from being sucked into system.

Leak seems to be were the neck of one of the metal coolant tubes mates up to the thermostat housing's body.

Its dripping directly onto the electrical junction for the oxygen sensor-- the connectors that plug together. Hopefully the silicone weather seal in the connector pigtail keeps the coolant from shorting the oxygen sensor. If I get a Check Engine Light that would be why.

 

HHR still @ dealer. They said its not the part itself, just a hose clamp wasn't doing its job. I don't know what to make of that... you would think it would have leaked from the get-go right after the last repair in June, if it was a clamp not tight enough.

The current leak happened last week, and it was the first time I let the HHR sit out in the driveway overnight on a cold night, so it had a true cold start (below freezing) next morning. And that was when it left a puddle of Dexcool on the driveway.

Maybe it was something about the temp change that did it, I don't know. I just want the repair to stick permanently this time.