Unkown Fluid leak/drip

[docfeelgood]

Every time it snows, and i warm up the car and/or drive it in the snow, there is a neon green looking fluid that drips out the car from somewhere unknown.

At first, i thought it was engine oil, but its not oil at all. I have full fluid levels of engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid and transmission fluid.
And on this model 4runner, the coolant is pink.
Any suggestions?

Model: 2004 4runner SR5, v6 73,000 miles

I've attached two not so great pictures.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Is your coolant pink or green? It's supposed to be pink but someone may have changed it out sometime between '04 and now. If it's green then maybe it's coolant...


More likely; what color windshield fluid did you use last time? Rain-x, non-winter, bug remover formula? It's green and maybe there's a leak there. If it froze solid it may have cracked the reservoir or a hose.

 

[docfeelgood]

The coolant is pink...and the windshield washer fluid is now blue...now i did run some green windshield washer fluid in the summer, the bug mix formula, but that was many filling ago... its as blue as can be right now.

No check engine lights or maintenance lights have ever popped on. As i truck up and down the driveway, these green spots pop up...and its appears to above the engine. Now i popped the hood open, and i don't see any signs of fluid spattering anywhere..so i'd like to rule out any pressure systems, but i'm not sure...

Does anyone have a cut-away diagram of the windshield wiper reserve tank, hose, etc that they can post? Right now in NY, we're getting hit with 10-15" snow fall today.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

The coolant is pink...and the windshield washer fluid is now blue...now i did run some green windshield washer fluid in the summer, the bug mix formula, but that was many filling ago... its as blue as can be right now.

No check engine lights or maintenance lights have ever popped on. As i truck up and down the driveway, these green spots pop up...and its appears to above the engine. Now i popped the hood open, and i don't see any signs of fluid spattering anywhere..so i'd like to rule out any pressure systems, but i'm not sure...

Does anyone have a cut-away diagram of the windshield wiper reserve tank, hose, etc that they can post? Right now in NY, we're getting hit with 10-15" snow fall today.

I don't have a pic but if you almost never use the rear window washer is it possible that line is/was filled with the green stuff and never purged through to the blue juice?


Next up... Running the defrost turns on the A/C compressor. The A/C system has freon and oil. The oil is typically dyed with a bright green dye to help track/find leaks (with the aid of a UV light). Perhaps you have an A/C system leak.

 

[docfeelgood]

thanks for the ideas... i'm gonna give it a try

 

[Kwik8608]

I have the same thing happening right now, but not to that big of an extent. My 4Runner is at Toyota right now for a 30k Mile Check up and I told them about the leak. Hopefully they'll be able to tell me what it is and I'll keep you posted.

 

[audiqtr]

it's your blinker Fluid. I swapped mine for Synthetic so it stays in liquid form even in the coldest temps

Joke aside, let us know what it is when you find out.

 

[docfeelgood]

ha! funny guy...lol

Let me know what they come out with, thanks.

 

[PlanetAlaska-]

Every time it snows, and i warm up the car and/or drive it in the snow, there is a neon green looking fluid that drips out the car from somewhere unknown.

Did you check your cup holders? Looks like you're leaking some Gatorade.

 

[dullpain]

it's your blinker Fluid. I swapped mine for Synthetic so it stays in liquid form even in the coldest temps

Joke aside, let us know what it is when you find out.

You should be shot for that one !

 

[Kwik8608]

So I got my car back from the dealership yesterday. They told me that the fluid is condensation from the converter, and that it's a normal operation or something.

 

[docfeelgood]

thank you for the info... so it doesn't seem like an urgent issue, but what converter are you referring to?

 

[Kwik8608]

Haha who knows... my parents picked it up because I was working. All it says on the paperwork is that it's normal condensation from the converter.

 

[ALLEGRO]

Might want to check your muffler bearings. Could be a worn boot or even worse.

 

[12guns]

Might want to check your muffler bearings. Could be a worn boot or even worse.

That's wrong

 

[CJ3Flyr]

So I got my car back from the dealership yesterday. They told me that the fluid is condensation from the converter, and that it's a normal operation or something.

Really? That's a new one to me... That's good to know.

 

[TechWrench]

Haha who knows... my parents picked it up because I was working. All it says on the paperwork is that it's normal condensation from the converter.

I'm pretty sure they were referring to your catalic converter. Because the catalic converter changes some of the engine emmisions to a water vapor, when the cat is still cold the water vapor is condensed and will leak out of the weep hole until the cat heats up and the vapor is sent out the tail pipe. You may have noticed some water leaking out of the tail pipe on some vehicles when they are first started. So, the water leak from a cat is normal until it heats up, but I don't see why it should be tinted green. Any time I have seen it, it is usually clear.