Hi,

I'm new on here and found the forum after google searching for some advice so would appreciate any help.

I have a 2003 Impreza WRX Wagon with factory fitted Prodrive kit, no other mods. It's serviced regularly, last time was November and we've had it about 7 years. It has 137k on the clock.

So, the last couple of days the heater hasn't been quite as efficient as usual, taking longer to start working but I didn't really twig until today when I drove to get daughter (10 mins away) and whilst sat waiting for her left engine running to run the heater. (I know not green but it's flipping cold!) After ten minutes I still had cold air and engine temp was above normal. Turned engine off, then when daughter arrived drove carefully home. No above normal heater readings, but when I was two mins away from home the heater started working. I've also had what I've taken to be a strong smell of petrol in these few days.

Pulled onto my drive, popped the bonnet to find the coolant level in the reservoir showing as minimum obviously I need to top this up but sure I have been told in the past not to do this with engine hot so I've left it to cool down. There was antifreeze in the system. I know I'll have a leak somewhere because the tank is low, but could there be more problems? Like head gaskets?

I'm always unlucky with anything like this so if it is a HG (or two) what am I looking at cost wise and what should I be doing, if anything, at the same time?

Car is 10 years old and high mileage but I love it dearly and rely on the 4wd to get me to my horses in bad weather so it has a fair bit of latitude for repair costs, just would appreciate some guidelines before my mechanic has a look so I don't have to make an uninformed decision on the spot. My bloke is great and won't rip me off at all but I'd like to not look a total idiot with my jaw on the floor when he gives me a price and any suggestions. If anyone has particular suppliers they use for parts I'd appreciate that information too.

Thanks very much.

 

Get a sniff test done asap. MIGHT show head gasket failure. Finger crossed it doesn't.

Could be leaking coolant from a porous rad, or hose too.

 

Thanks Alcazar, I'm hoping it's the latter.

 

Let us know how you get on

 

Heater matrix could be on its way out and leaking, hope it's this rather than a hg issue (it's still a dash out job and not cheap but better than an engine out job!)