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Thread: Red overheating light 2015 Mitsubishi mirage - UPDATE: coolant was low

  1. #11
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smentkc3 View Post
    ...There -IS- definitely coolant loss. The overflow tank went from full to almost half full in approx 4 days of driving 40 miles a day.
    I would just watch the level in the coolant bottle closely for the next couple of weeks so you can document any further coolant loss. Be sure to check the level every day under the same conditions every time...like first thing in the morning before the engine has run.

    The dealership did everything you could reasonably expect them to do at this point. If the coolant loss continues, then there are other things that can be done...like checking for a blown head gasket. But that's a huge leap forward...there's no need to hit the panic button on that, yet.

    It took me months to find the coolant leak in my wife's 1999 Eclipse. It had a hairline crack (from age) in the plastic radiator tank. It would only weep a few drops under perfect conditions. I could smell it, but never see it. Then one day when I had the hood up (and the engine was hot), I literally saw droplets of coolant forming on the surface of the tank...like they were appearing from nowhere. I almost had to get a magnifying glass out to see the crack where it was leaking. I'm just using this as an illustration to let you know that these leaks can be tough to track down.

    Did I mention getting a Scangauge?


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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    Again, thanks.
    Regarding the coolant, it is Pentafrost A3.
    The coolant overflow went to about halfway between the full and low mark after being topped off at the dealership.
    I had topped it off in the overflow only about a week earlier, when I started this thread.
    Also, I suspect the overflow tank. There's not much of anything that looks like a leak and perhaps I am imagining it, but I thought I felt a bit of wetness at the very base of the overflow where there felt to be a bulb like shape. But again, I could have easily convinced myself of that... I checked it 3 times today and all looks good - so far today.
    Will the scanguage also let me know the codes if a code does appear?
    Last edited by Smentkc3; 11-03-2016 at 02:45 AM.

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    At least, your case is now properly documented. I have my Mirage for about 4 years now and the coolant in the reservoir is almost at the same level. A week ago, for the first time, I removed the radiator cap. The radiator neck is long I can't see the coolant until I added few ml of distilled water. With Mirage coolant boiling point above 120 deg C, even after a long trip, I have yet to see my coolant expanded in the reservoir tank.

    If the coolant in the expansion tank continues getting low that you have to top it frequently then it must be leaking somewhere, the following is about some GM vehicles but just for reference http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/148.

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    I thought that coolant expansion tanks are not to be "topped off" because as the cooling system warms up coolant is captured in this reservoir until it cools down again and is drawn back in the system.

    Maybe I misunderstand this?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    The coolant mass expands as it heat up and it shrinks as it cool down. A 50% glycol/water mix with 1.1 bar radiator cap has a boiling point of 126 degree centigrade , this may explain why one can hardly see our coolant rise up in the reservoir. When the cooling system is healthy, the coolant in the expansion tank will go back to the same level as the engine cools.

    The coolant in the reservoir may decrease in volume due to evaporative loss but it will take a very long time before it is readily noticeable, if you have to add coolant frequently then leak is present somewhere in the cooling system. Adding coolant directly in the radiator is not advised primarily to avoid being scalded, but if the cooling system is leaking, the radiator may not have enough suction to sip coolant from the reservoir and you will have to directly add the coolant in the radiator.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Smentkc3 View Post
    Will the scanguage also let me know the codes if a code does appear?
    Yes...if your check engine light comes on, you can easily display any codes on the Scangauge (and clear them, too).

    In your current situation, you may never see a code because there is no OBDII code associated with low coolant, overheating, etc. Even a bad coolant sensor may not set a code. But if that red light comes on again, you will know right away exactly what your coolant temperature is.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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    So, this is what I hope: The coolant was low. I added coolant in the reservoir which then went to the radiator, repeat, repeat. The temp light didn't indicate overheating, rather indicating that I was low on coolant, therefore there were no stored codes to find. Now that I repeatedly added coolant, the coolant level in the reservoir has maintained the same basic level for approx a week. All looks good. If this is the case, I am still left wondering how the coolant level original got so low at 30,000 miles, but that may have had something to do with a previous owner and I'll never know that answer (keeping fingers crossed)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Smentkc3 View Post
    So, this is what I hope: The coolant was low.
    Hey Smentkc3 - has this been resolved for you?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    Would anyone be able to tell me if when the red temperature light comes on if it also emits a sound? Low oil pressure and hot coolant are two things I want to be immediately notified of and I may not always see the light on the dash for one reason or another. Does anyone know, otherwise I might add my own.

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    Quote Originally Posted by skyblue View Post
    Would anyone be able to tell me if when the red temperature light comes on if it also emits a sound? Low oil pressure and hot coolant are two things I want to be immediately notified of and I may not always see the light on the dash for one reason or another. Does anyone know, otherwise I might add my own.
    As far as I know, there is no alarm sounding, just the LED. I agree its a PITA if it doesn't sound off.
    I check coolant level in the radiator and the oil level regularly, although this car does not lose any at all. Just to be sure.



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