Coolant Leak

[18ExpyPlat]

Looking for some advice. A few weeks ago I took my'18 Expedition to a car wash bay and while washing it I noticed a bright green fluid trickling down into the drain. It struck me as odd because it looked like radiator fluid and I hadn't noticed any bright green soap coming out of the car wash wand. I pulled forward and was drying it and the green fluid was pudding on the pavement. It was a sizeable quantity so I popped the hood and saw the coolant reservoir was below minimum.

I drove straight to the dealer and dropped it off. When I picked up later they said they filled the reservoir back up but couldn't find the leak. And they billed me for their time ($45).

Part of me feels like they're saying they didn't find anything so that they could bill me. Like maybe they replaced or tightened a hose clamp and know if they claim "no issue" that they can bill it. I'm assuming Ford factory doesn't pay out a half hour of billable time to the dealer for warranty issues.

What do you think? Shut up and pay the $45 because it's $45?

 

[16plati]

Looking for some advice. A few weeks ago I took my'18 Expedition to a car wash bay and while washing it I noticed a bright green fluid trickling down into the drain. It struck me as odd because it looked like radiator fluid and I hadn't noticed any bright green soap coming out of the car wash wand. I pulled forward and was drying it and the green fluid was pudding on the pavement. It was a sizeable quantity so I popped the hood and saw the coolant reservoir was below minimum.

I drove straight to the dealer and dropped it off. When I picked up later they said they filled the reservoir back up but couldn't find the leak. And they billed me for their time ($45).

Part of me feels like they're saying they didn't find anything so that they could bill me. Like maybe they replaced or tightened a hose clamp and know if they claim "no issue" that they can bill it. I'm assuming Ford factory doesn't pay out a half hour of billable time to the dealer for warranty issues.

What do you think? Shut up and pay the $45 because it's $45?

I’m betting they replaced a hose clamp or rubber connection. Or, I know on older models like 15-17s the coolant lines that run to the turbo housings would leak at the cheap fitting

 

[TobyU]

Can't say but I will add that to my list of why I hate dealers and garages.

 

[Gumby]

My 18 Platinum had a leaking coolant line which was replaced under warranty. Isn't the coolant pink?

 

[16plati]

Can't say but I will add that to my list of why I hate dealers and garages.

Is it still leaking or issue resolved?

 

[scottdm]

My 18 Platinum had a leaking coolant line which was replaced under warranty. Isn't the coolant pink?

The '18's use orange coolant (Motorcraft part# VC-3DIL-B Orange Pre-Diluted Antifreeze/Coolant), but it looks pink when viewed through the expansion tank. Open the cap and look in the expansion tank (when engine is cool) and you'll see that it really is orange. For some reason the '19's now use the yellow coolant.

 

[Gumby]

The '18's use orange coolant (Motorcraft part# VC-3DIL-B Orange Pre-Diluted Antifreeze/Coolant), but it looks pink when viewed through the expansion tank. Open the cap and look in the expansion tank (when engine is cool) and you'll see that it really is orange. For some reason the '19's now use the yellow coolant.

OK....but green as the OP said?

 

[16plati]

OK....but green as the OP said?

Great point. What fluid is green? Antifreeze?

 

[scottdm]

OK....but green as the OP said?

I looked up the various printings of the 2018 owners manual to see what I could find at the following link:

https://owner.ford.com/tools/accoun...lts.html?make=Ford&model=Expedition&year=2018

The first owners manual printing (Aug2017) shows Orange coolant part# VC-3DIL-B
The second ownders manual printing (Feb2018) shows Orange coolant part# VC-3DIL-B
The third owners manual printing (Aug2018) shows Yellow coolant part# VC-13DL-G

Perhaps the OP is seeing yellow coolant and referring to it as green if he has a build date of August 2018 or later.

 

[Uturn]

Depending on brand, some windshield washer fluid is green.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Looking for some advice. A few weeks ago I took my'18 Expedition to a car wash bay and while washing it I noticed a bright green fluid trickling down into the drain. It struck me as odd because it looked like radiator fluid and I hadn't noticed any bright green soap coming out of the car wash wand. I pulled forward and was drying it and the green fluid was pudding on the pavement. It was a sizeable quantity so I popped the hood and saw the coolant reservoir was below minimum.

I drove straight to the dealer and dropped it off. When I picked up later they said they filled the reservoir back up but couldn't find the leak. And they billed me for their time ($45).

Part of me feels like they're saying they didn't find anything so that they could bill me. Like maybe they replaced or tightened a hose clamp and know if they claim "no issue" that they can bill it. I'm assuming Ford factory doesn't pay out a half hour of billable time to the dealer for warranty issues.

What do you think? Shut up and pay the $45 because it's $45?

Did you receive an invoice for the work and payment? What did it say?

 

[Flexpedition]

Did the carwash you go to have the foaming, multicolor foam "wax" ?

If so, if its the same product mine uses, the colors somehow form into a neon green color when rinsed off.

 

[mquick5]

Depending on brand, some windshield washer fluid is green.

He said they topped his over flow off. So if low, it was either shipped low or had to leak...

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[18ExpyPlat]

My 18 Platinum had a leaking coolant line which was replaced under warranty. Isn't the coolant pink?

Interesting. Mine's definitely green.


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[18ExpyPlat]

Is it still leaking or issue resolved?

It's resolved. A miracle I suppose!

 

[18ExpyPlat]

Did you receive an invoice for the work and payment? What did it say?

Invoice said "re-filled coolant. Checked for leaks"


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[18ExpyPlat]

He said they topped his over flow off. So if low, it was either shipped low or had to leak...

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Yeah but now yall got me questioning if I actually saw the color in my reservoir. I will look in the morning. Maybe the reservoir isn't clear and only saw the level without noticing the color. Although would be odd that the dealer never mentioned that the coolant was orange when I was making the claim that I had a green coolant leak.

 

[18ExpyPlat]

Did the carwash you go to have the foaming, multicolor foam "wax" ?

If so, if its the same product mine uses, the colors somehow form into a neon green color when rinsed off.

Maybe! I'll check next time I wash it there.