Typerod

So I just got my 2007 Tahoe back from the body shop due to an accident. My wife t-boned a driver making an illegal u turn. So the a/c condenser was replaced amongst other things. I noticed this morning its about 45 degrees and a bit sprinkly this morning, and i see steam coming from under the hood, right about dead center in front. From the hood latch area, seems to come from the condenser and radiator area, radiator was not replaced, since they say it was not damaged. Engine temp gauge in car is pointing at 210 where it normally is. Could this just be something burning off from the condenser? There was also some radiator support work done, i can see newly painted radiator supports. Its not a bunch if billowing steam, and it is def. steam and not smoke. It did not do this before the accident. Also does anyone know any troubleshooting for the driver side mirror, it is only partially tilting, insurance denied coverage on it since its not likely it was damaged in he accident, but i know it was. The electric motor will run but the mirror is limited on its tilting but if physically press on the mirror the direction u want it to go while holding the tilt button in that direction it will move, u just have to help it along. I take very good care of my vehicles and i notice ecery tiny thing wrong, i know it was damaged from the accident. Thanks in advance!

tech2

was this a one time event?

refrigerant leaks you probably will not see. pull the a/c relay and disable the system; then see if the steam re-occurs.


hot coolant would be visible during cold temperatures and seem more likely. have the cooling system pressure tested. keep an eye for level drops in the coolant reservoir an any coolant leaks below the rad.






the mirror symptoms you describe sound more like a weak motor than a physically damaged part. When cars get hit hard, I guess it could be possible, but hard to prove. you would have to pull the mirror apart to inspect.

Typerod

Hi tech2, when u say one time event do u mean the steam? If so, i noticed the evening i drove it home from the body shop after the repair and noticed it this morning as well. A/c was not on, but heater was. I feel like i smelled a bit of coolant, but it might just being me paranoid.

Edit: it has been drizzly rain here in northern va and maybe could be moisture burning off the radiator? Ill keep an eye on it, thanks for the prompt reply tech2!

tech2

sometimes when doing collision repair, there can be hidden damage. Insurance companies and auto body shops are well aware of this and if required, will open an amendment to the repair order to address it....just don't leave it for too long. if you see reoccurrences, I would contact them next week for an appointment. tell them what you have observed and smelt. It sure sounds like the rad tank is cracked or leaking.

Typerod

Thanks for the advice! I will be sure to inform them. Just an update, while waiting for the wife, I again started the Tahoe and let it idle, I did not see anymore steam coming from the previously said location. I did pop off that plastic cover on top of the condenser and radiator, and I saw a "channel" along the top of the radiator, so I got to think maybe there was just water that collected in there for whatever reason and once the engine got hot and the radiator got hot, it was burning that water/moisture off? lol, its a long shot, but I'll definitely keep an eye on the coolant level, which is currently at its proper level according to the overflow tank. I do have video of it, let me see if I can upload it.

tech2

the last thing that happens after a body shop repair is to send the vehicle for cleaning...so it could be just water.

Typerod

I was thinking that could be the case, and that they pressure washed the front end before they buttoned everything up, and water/moisture just built up in that channel, and burned off while the car was idling. But why didn't that water just spill out of that channel while I drove the 35+ miles yesterday to my destination and while I was idling the car in the parking lot, i then see the steam? lol, don't mind me I'm just thinking my OCD out loud. I started it up this morning and let it warm up, and no steam at all, i drove it about 8 miles then came right back home and checked it again, and still nothing. I'm just hoping it was water from somewhere unusual and that it was just a one time thing. I took a pic of the coolant level, so i know exactly where it is. Another weird thing, I got a DIC message saying to tighten my gas cap this morning. It was loose, maybe it loosened during the impact. I've never ever had that message of all the almost 10 years I've had this SUV. I was wondering why my gas mileage was a big sub-par, lol.

Thanks again for your help tech2, much appreciated!

Typerod

Hi tech, when you say rad tank, do you mean the radiator itself? or the coolant overflow tank? Thanks.

tech2

the rad tanks are the black plastics tanks on the side of radiator that connect to the coolant tubes.

justimagination

The plastic tanks that tech 2 mentioned are notorious for small cracks. The driver side is the worst of the two, because the transmission cooler lines are upper/lower and as well as the oil cooler if so equipped. and since the front impact was bad enough to replace the condenser, I suspect a small HAIRLINE crack o the driver side.
Put a clean newspaper under the car over night and see if there is any drips. My 99 Tahoe had a small crack on the driver side plastic tank and it has never been wrecked, so it does happen. Good luck,
David g.