Q: Coolant leaking, engine might be messed up now
My 2006 Honda Civic was running fine up until a couple of days ago. I found a puddle of coolant under the car, so I checked under the hood but didn’t see anything leaking. I turned the car on to see if anything was different. The engine was making a really concerning rumbling and after a minute it was running so rough that I had to shut it off. I’m afraid that the engine might not start when I turn the key again and there seems to be coolant leaking from the engine itself! I really need help with this problem as my car is still below 100,000 miles and I can’t afford to trade it in for a new one yet!
You are correct in not wanting to start the car to avoid any further damage. It sounds like you might have coolant leaking into one of the cylinders due to an engine block failure, resulting in a misfire. What needs to be done is to remove the spark plugs and pressurize the cooling system, then have the system inspected under pressure to find the source of the leak. When the technician has determined the source of the leak, action and/or repair can be determined/performed. If the engine block is determined to be the source of the leak, it would be advisable you give Honda a call with your VIN number to see if your car is eligible for the warranty extension on the engine block. Back in late 2010, Honda issued warranty extension number 10-048 for an engine block failure that leaks coolant. To have your vehicle inspected, please contact YourMechanic and one of our certified mechanics will be happy to inspect your coolant system leak.
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