Ok, it pains me to start out this way, as I have been rolling my eyes at the number of "crash" stories comming out of tyhis forum over this past month. So...a few days ago, im driving a back road in the rain, comming around a bend, two deer jump out in front of me, I try and avoid them, and up doing a tail spin (yup, my first true power slide in the car...though it was far from fun), and skided the front part of the car off road a tad. Everything seemed fine (even alignment), but the bottom of the front bumer was cracked in three places. I was pissed, but was also thankful as the damage really only seemed to be cosmetic

Take it into the mechanic, he pulles it around later that day and notices tranny fluid on the ground, and calls me up fearing the worst. I cried in solitude for hours of course

Calls me back, and gives some (what's now) good news. The only thing thats wrong besides the bumper, is the peice that holds the radiator was cracked, and my estimate ended up being quite low.

So, my question to you is, what the hell is wrong with the car as I was onl able to catch his phone message. Is he refering to the small tranny fluid radiator thats right behind the grille? That would make sense since thats where the damage to the fascia was. Would a "crack in the radiator support" case a tranny fluid leeak? Again, the car drove fine, and in fact shifted beautifuly on the way home from the incident, and to the mechanic (thats of course all I drove it). Can somone help me out. Thanks a million. -Brad

 

Are you sure there is a tx fluid cooler behind the grille??? You even have a 6MT. I'm confused. But maybe I don't know enough about my own car yet.

WayneTN

 

since you have the manual trans it should not be tranny fluid. it is possible that it is power steering fluid. im not sure if these cars have power steering fluid or not. a cracked radiator support would not cause anything to leak, plus the radiator support is metal so it would bend before cracks. what color was the fluid that was leaking? i would have a body shop look at over a mechanic.

 

I talked to someone at StrictlyZ online, and he told me there is a small radiator for colling the MT right behind the front grille pretty low.

 

No kidding! That may explain things. Must have been a connection leaking. Thanks for checking, Brad4rdHay.

WayneTN

 

Im gonna be talking to the mechanic tomorow but as you can tell im anxious...and want as much info as possible so i can cry bulshit if nescesary...but this guy seems prety honest and pretty good.

The whole metal cracking think had me confused too.

 

it's not a tranny cooler. i believe it's for your power steering