Coolant smell

The lid for the overflow tank has a vent, and sure enough there is a small amount of residue there from coolant sloshing around. Both pictures show the vent on the right sides.

Coolant recovery tank lid from wife's 2019 Camry:


Coolant recovery tank lid from 2019 Tacoma:

 

Scheduled an appointment just in case. Also getting its first service. I’ll keep you guys updated.

 

So they said there are no leaks and it is normal. He said because of the overflow recovery tank like @MtnFisher stated.

 

Someone said overflow tank was sealed.. just checked today and it is not sealed..

@MtnFisher shows on his pic:

So I guess it would be normal to smell some when engine is hot...

 

Not sealed. I went wheeling and afterwards, saw pink splatter all over. Must have leaked out from the reservoir.

 

mines sealed

 

Pic please.. I strongly believe it is not sealed.

Had 4cyl 3gen and now 3.5 and both are vented.

 

The overflow bottle is vented. The system is sealed. with a cap that allows coolant to be drawn into the Rad from the Rez, as the coolant cools off after shutdown. The same cap will allow coolant out of the rad, as it expands . But it is a sealed system.

The cap allows psi to build, which raises the boiling point too .

 

Got it!

 

exactly, the system is sealed

 

Thank you. When I said the system was sealed, the idea was that it's self-maintaining and no coolant should be being lost. As you say, the radiator cap serves as the relief valve when needed.

If fumes are being detected with a closed hood, from normal reservoir air venting, they either have a really good nose, the system may be over filled, the vehicle is running hot, or there has been a whole lota sloshing going on.

The 'full cold' line isn't a suggestion. That's where the level needs to be to allow expansion out of the radiator when it's hot. And that 'full hot' line? That's not really a suggestion either. If it's up and over that, 'why' is a good question to be asking.

 

That Rad cap works each and every time you use the vehicle . It works both ways each time. It's a really good thing it does too.