The issue was first noticed due to a smell after running the vehicle. It made my eyes sting. It was pretty strong. When I opened the hood I could not find anything obvious that might be the source. Someone who happened to be there at the time said that they thought it might smell like coolant. Having never smelled burning coolant, I was not sure. We topped off the reservoir, but this wasn't so easy. It was nearly impossible to see the level indicator and the level of fluid due to our available lighting and it's location.

Anyway, I took it home and had a look the next day. I noticed a reddish, crusty buildup on a hose coming out of something to the right of the engine. The hose is connected to the back of a hunk of metal I cannot identify. The unit has a black plastic housing on top of it with six connections (3 in the front, 3 in the back).

I decided to take it for a short drive around the neighborhood, but had to return almost immediately. First I got the change oil message, then my oil light came on, and then it began chiming. I pulled back in the driveway and had a small amount of smoke. When I opened the hood I could see that some sort of fluid had ben splattered around. There was some pooled on top of the plastic housing I mentioned. Where I had noted the reddish/pinkish, crusty buildup before...I now noticed a crack. It's either at the end of a hose or what the hose connects to. It would have been hard to spot, but you could see very light smoke and bubbles coming from the crack.

Due to the oil light, I had assumed I was leaking oil. Here is the issue though...the fluid that is splattered all around has a very light red, pink, or maybe orange tint to it. It appears to be the same color as the transmission fluid. It does not look like oil, not even new and fresh oil.

More than likely, I will end up taking it to a shop to be repaired. However...I'd like to be armed with a better idea of what the issue is first. Basically, I'd like to identify what is cracked. I will post some photos, but they are not the best.

 

The black box with the six connectors is the ignition coil. It boost the voltage and sends it along to the spark plugs to produce the spark that burns the gas in each cylinder.

Not sure what the tube is highlighted by the red arrow. May be a coolant line to the rear heater.

The fluid on top of the transmission (2nd pic below red arrow) appears to be red transmission fluid.

Check all your fluid levels (coolant, oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid) to determine what is leaking.

 

That is plastic "Y" for the heater hose, that leak is a very common problem. For more information see this thread: https://www.chryslerforum.com/forum/...coolant-19104/. There are links in post #2 & #3 of that thread that are full of useful information.

George

 

Well now I see it. Thanks yet again georgef.

 

Easy to identify either coolant vs. ATF fluid. Just rub a little between your fingers. The coolant feels like water, the ATF feels oily, slippery. If you suddenly find something is leaking onto the road when parked, this test also identifies brake fluid. I hope for your sake your leak is coolant!

Leedsman.