So my 2005 maxima leaks coolant sometimes and then when you drive for long periods of time when you come to a stop and park the car is smoking from the grill where the radiator is and you will smell coolant. Any suggestions on what this maybe. I’m thinking the radiator must have a crack in it???

 

Where exactly is it leaking from, do you know? You may want to check to see if you are losing coolant at the drain plug... check there first before anything else. I think the radiator drain plug is on the left side at the bottom of the passenger side. Sometimes the plug becomes loose there and it may just need to be tighten back up.

 

Yeah it’s on the passenger side. My first thought was the water pump but I had one put on about 6 months ago. So if it’s not the plug do you have any other suggestions of what it might be?

 

if its steam coming from the front of the car it shouldn't be too hard to track down.
Put on some gloves and then a paper towel in your hand and touch all of the joins on the hoses that run from the radiator and where they attach to the engine.
also the drain plug.
and even though your water pump was replaced doesn't mean you should rule it out. in fact checking recent jobs done would be my first port of call if its part of the cooling system and therefore a potential source.

 

mine would do the same. turns out the radiator was leaking at the very top part (that is hidden by some black trim piece) and along the top edges where the two pieces of the radiator meet. the coolant would leak along side the radiator and, at night, I could see steam. Because I tracked down the leak on the radiator, replacing the radiator got rid of the leak.

 

The radiator will do that.was what happened to my 03.