I have a 2005 subaru impreza RS with 99000km. the coolant in the overflow tank is turning into a shaving cream like substance, and it foams up and leaks on the ground. I took the car to the dealer and they say they have never seen this before. please help!
My bet is a blown head gasket.
I second that motion. Do we have a third? Make it so! They should be able to tell that pretty easily. There are numerous ways to test for gasket failure.
Is it possible that someone mistakenly put windshield washer fluid or some other sudsy fluid into the radiator or overflow reservoir?
The dealer suggested that could be the problem but that is highly unlikley. I am the only person that touches my car and I would not do that. I also only take the car to the dealer for service and a doubt they would do that either.
Have someone, or you, check the engine thermostat for an intermittent sticking situation. Also check the radiator hoses for a collapsing situation. Check the water pump for proper operation. While engine is cold, carefully open the radiator cap. Start engine. Rev up a little. See if coolant mixture is circulating. Before you start the engine, use a coolant test “baster”-type checker to determine if your anti-freeze/coolant mixture is still good. If one or more thing shows up as defective or marginal, replacing any one or all of these is much more cost-effective and less time consuming than changing a head gasket. A pressure check of your cooling system might be the first thing that I’d do.
Thanks alot for everyones help. My car is still at the dealer so I can’t check it. I took it to them because my overflow was empty, they did a pressure test, said nothing was wrong and sent me home. The next day I found coolant on my garage floor so I took the car back. This was two days ago and they still don’t know what it is and I’m car-less. Maybe because I’m 500km shy of the 100000km warrenty they don’t to fix it.
When a warranty item is presented to the dealer BEFORE the warranty expiration, and it’s unresolved AFTER the warranty period, it’s STILL covered by that warranty.
They may have done a cooling system pressure test; but, probably, didn’t pressure test the radiator cap. The simplest "test"of the radiator cap is to just change it.
Now they are telling me that the heads are warped and that the engine must have over-heated. I am the only per who has ever driven my car and I know it has never ever run hot. I do my own oil changes but I do not keep the reciepts. Will they still honor the warranty? I don’t think an oil problem could even cause this type of damage.
Third. With emphasis.
I have seen this before. Blown head gasket.