[tommersyip]

Hi Guys,

My 550 mile old 2013 OB seems to have spring a coolant leak somewhere, bringing it back to the dealer to get fixed but I noticed something weird...

Coolant leaking out was green. I was under the impression that Subaru Super Coolant = Blue, not green.

Can someone with a '13 check what color the stuff in their expansion tank is? Wondering if this might be causing the leak - in BMW-land, the myth is if you pour anything other than the genuine blue BMW stuff you will spring leaks - wondering if this is what happened with my car.

 

[GasGuzz]

Subie coolant is blue, if you use any other it will void the extended-blue replacement interval. Regardless blue/green/orange, it shouldn’t leak (as with any liquid).<O</O

 

[foxrider68]

Hi Guys,

My 550 mile old 2013 OB seems to have spring a coolant leak somewhere, bringing it back to the dealer to get fixed but I noticed something weird...

Coolant leaking out was green. I was under the impression that Subaru Super Coolant = Blue, not green.

Can someone with a '13 check what color the stuff in their expansion tank is? Wondering if this might be causing the leak - in BMW-land, the myth is if you pour anything other than the genuine blue BMW stuff you will spring leaks - wondering if this is what happened with my car.

Dealers still stock and sell the older Green stuff. Was it leaking green from the factory fill?

 

[mpnret]

Just checked my 2013, same blue as my 2010.

 

[tommersyip]

Hi - quick update. So brought it into the dealer and they pressure tested the cooling system - no leaks. Bizarre.

Yeah, the stuff on my garage floor definitely 'looked' dark green but when I was at the dealer before they pressure tested the car the service adviser pulled the overflow tube out and let the stuff drip out - it sure looked blue then.

I am starting to think I am on crack - will take pics if it happens again, hopefully not.

In this case I am more than happy to be wrong - leaks are fine 200K miles down the line but not at ~500 miles.

 

[subiesailor]

AC condensation on a dirty floor?

Next time you see it take a paper towel a white one - and toss it on the fluid on the floor and see what color you come up with.

Do not put cardboard or paper under a hot car! Good friend nearly burnt down his house doing this - catalytic converters are hot add some vapors from oil and fuel etc and poof garage BBQ Subaru. Fire Dept showed up just as he was getting it knocked down a little with the garden hose while bare foot in his boxers. LOL Garage interior was destroyed and the car was a total loss.

 

[foxrider68]

I am starting to think I am on crack - will take pics if it happens again, hopefully not.

What about your prior car, could it have done it? Its also possible that you have some creatures living in your garage oozing green stuff. Better pickup some antizombie rounds at the local sporting good store.

 

[tommersyip]

What about your prior car, could it have done it? Its also possible that you have some creatures living in your garage oozing green stuff. Better pickup some antizombie rounds at the local sporting good store.

I thought about my other car, which is a BMW, being the leak culprit but it has been relegated to curb parking for the Outback since I picked it up 2 weeks ago. The coolant in the BMW is super dark blue, much darker than Subaru Super Coolant which is a bummer because I had hoped it was the same stuff. Super Coolant is easily 2.5 times more expensive than BMW coolant. 1 Gal of Mixed Super Coolant is $25 around here in Nor Cal, BMW Coolant is $18/gal un-mixed.

I am thinking the fluorescent garage lights plus my grey floors made the coolant look greenish. Oh well. No leaks since my visit to the dealer so I am guessing it was a one-off event. More than happy to have a non-leaky car.

 

[foxrider68]

I thought about my other car, which is a BMW, being the leak culprit but it has been relegated to curb parking for the Outback since I picked it up 2 weeks ago. The coolant in the BMW is super dark blue, much darker than Subaru Super Coolant which is a bummer because I had hoped it was the same stuff. Super Coolant is easily 2.5 times more expensive than BMW coolant. 1 Gal of Mixed Super Coolant is $25 around here in Nor Cal, BMW Coolant is $18/gal un-mixed.

I am thinking the fluorescent garage lights plus my grey floors made the coolant look greenish. Oh well. No leaks since my visit to the dealer so I am guessing it was a one-off event. More than happy to have a non-leaky car.

The monkeys on the assembly line could have overfilled it. I've never looked but I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a tube for over flow to come out of if the plastic tank on the drivers side was too full.