car is not holding water, what can i check for myself before taking to repair shop
What is your question?
Started about 3 days ago. Ive' been having to fill it daily. When water is low the fan comes on and its kind of loud. Usually you cant hear it over car running. It hasnt overheated yet, only because I keep water in it. Where are all the hoses located so I can check for leaks, check clamps etc.Within the last week its kind of having a meltdown. All kinds of new noises, and sometimes I feel like its floating in the air.The front end makes sounds when I'm on uneven ground like its gonna fall off the frame. Tranny runs good, she still has good power there. She's got almost 211,000 miles under her belt. I'm the 3rd owner. I pd $500.00 for her almost 3 years ago. Only a few problems. Gone thru 3 wiper motors, ( pain in the butt ) replaced the serpentine belt, she needs new rotors on front , and this is the second time for not holding water. Can't afford a mechanic and don't really have anyone to help me with car prob. Any suggestions on what I can look for or do myself would be apprecia
What makes this problem better or worse?
Adding water fixes it all lol
How long has your 1999 Mercury Cougar had this problem?
RepairPal Certified shops can diagnose and repair your 1999 Mercury Cougar. They provide transparent pricing with a minimum 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty on repairs and services.
Hello, I have to be honest with you -- you're going to be throwing a ton of good money after bad on this car at this point. You got more than your $500 worth. Trust me -- I was at a Lincoln-Mercury dealership when these cars were introduced new!
Coolant leak: Pressure test of your cooling system is needed to find out where the coolant is escaping to. If there's an external leak -- at the rate it's going away you should easily be able to pinpoint the source! It could also be going inside the engine, which would be entirely catastrophic at this point.
Front end noise: So many things can cause the noise, and many are safety issues, so do not drive the car again until getting it checked! Your safety and the safety of other motorists and pedestrians is at risk.
I understand you "can't afford a mechanic", but you're between a rock and a hard place. I wouldn't spend another dime on this car. You got lucky for $500 once -- maybe again you can find something?
Good luck!
