My Girlfriend just bought a 2007 Fit with 105,000 miles on it on Friday, we noticed the smell of antifreeze when we got home. I let it cool and checked the antifreeze reservoir tank which was empty, so I filled it to the right level. She drove it to work the next day (Sat) and I checked it again that night and the tank was empty again, I checked it again Sunday night and the tank was down to almost low, it is not leaving any puddles either. On the way home Today she said the check engine light started to flash, so I'm trying to get some input on this problem while we still have a warranty on it. Also was wondering if there is any known common problems that we should address now so we can also get it fixed. Any input would help thanks.

 

I don't know of any common issues that would cause your problems. I do know there is something wrong, it's probably not simple.

My best guess would be it has a blown head gasket. Next would be a leaking heater core.

You mentioned there is a warranty, I would take it back and have the seller fix it.

Good luck,

Clifton

 

Reference

Identifying the Coolant Leak

There are really only three common causes for coolant leaks although each type of leak has several possibilities, each varying in severity. You may notice that coolant has collected on the ground under your car or that your reservoir tank is not as high as it should be. This could be evidence of a slow leak in your system. A suddenly overheated engine is also another key tipoff that you may be facing a coolant leak. Oftentimes, the type of leak is easy to determine but sometimes it takes a little more effort to find it. You may even be able to smell the coolant leaking. It is a good idea to check the level of the coolant reservoir tank with every few gas fill-ups. Below are the causes to your coolant leaks:

1 - Leaky Radiator Cap

If you have a leaky or a weak radiator cap, you may experience loss of coolant from the overflow tube every time the coolant heats up. The radiator is a pressurized system so if there is a loss of pressure from the cap not fitting property or if the cap is the incorrect cap for the radiator, the pressure will be lost and a leak could occur. This can be diagnosed with a pressure test of the radiator cap. Refer to the car’s manual for the proper cap and pressure.
2 - Internal Leak

Although this might not be a leak as we tend to think of a traditional leak, for example the puddle of coolant under the car, an internal leak would be noticeable when the coolant level does not stay constant and you find that you need to constantly refill the tank or your engine overheats. An internal leak could be caused by a leak in the head or block or perhaps a leaky head gasket which lets the coolant escape its system.
3 - External Leak

An external leak is the type of leak which is most easily diagnosed. More often than not, when you have an external leak, the coolant escapes and your car quickly overheats. Most likely you can easily spot where the leak is coming from by simply looking at it: a split or broken hose or a hole in the radiator are two good examples. Often times leaks in the water pump, heater core or engine freeze plugs can allow coolant to escape. These too are easy to diagnose by a visual inspection.

You may also find that you have a crack in the coolant reservoir. This may cause a coolant leak that you will see forming under your car but most likely this will not cause the car to overheat as the coolant in the main system is what is keeping the car engine cooled.

I would fill the reservoir up to the full line and run the car until hot. Watch the reservoir to see that it it is going down. Check under the vehicle for signs of a leak. Check the passenger side inside the car if it is the heater core. If you can not find the source take to a mechanic to evaluate the problem before it leads to more problems.

Good luck.

 

After the check engine light came on we dropped it off to my mechanic. I'm having him find out whats making it lose coolant ( I'm thinking head gasket) but we'll see, also I'm having him go over the car to see if he can find anything else wrong with it before we bring it back to the dealership.

 

So we dropped the Fit off to the dealership Wednesday morning, got a call later that day saying the head gasket was indeed shot. Then we got a call yesterday telling us the after further inspection of the motor was in fact junk also. So they are waiting for the (newer one only 17,000 miles on it ) to come in so they can replace it. Thanks for the input I'm sure I'll be back again to ask some more questions!!!!