Random perplexing leaks on ground

2

2009CAZ4

Member
Let me just preface this by saying this thread will likely be a waste of everyones time...

(2009 3.5is automatic trans)

So I have had two transmission seals replaced in the last year. One was a small round one that I think was the "shifter seal", and the other one they dropped the trans, i think it was the valve body seal. Oh and they also redid the valve cover gaskets. I didn't pressure was the driveway after that.

Everything was fine for months until this last week, when I noticed a few reddish puddles in the driveway. Mind you I'm colorblind. I went and got the car washed and when I got home, this may or not have been the same day, there was a steady drip on the hot exhaust. Every 2 seconds I heard it sizzle. I peeked under the car and it appeared to be dead center nearby the front of the trans.

So I took the car to the dealer for the 3rd time, complained my way into a free inspection and a free rental, and left it with them. They said "we cleaned some residue of the bottom pans/skids/plastic but we didn't see anything leaking. I asked them to take it out for a long hard run and then check. They drove it 20 miles and said, "no leaks, we're gonna park it over night and look in the morning".

The dealership asked me if I had any photos of the puddles in my driveway so I went to see how much was left. There was only a few small spots, but I noticed they all seem to be centered around the wheels!

Here's my conspiracy theory. Are there rain drain tubes in the body that lead into the wheel wells, or into the trans tunnel? Like when rain gets to the bottom of the windshield it has a drain somewhere. Did 3 months of dirt fill up in those tubes leading to dirty puddles on the ground? I hadn't washed her in a very long time.

Why do I have a "greasemark" where the four tires rest?

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If it's leaking onto the exhaust it won't be the transmission, that tends to run backwards along the undertray and leak out in middle of the car behind the trans.

In front of the trans and behind the motor sounds like a valve cover leak or it could be oil blow-by from the PCV system leaking from the rear turbo air intake, that can happen if the intake isn't correctly seated onto the turbo and is an easy fix.
 
do you have adaptive suspension?

looks like the 4 dampers, but it is strange that it is happening at the same time for all
 
tintoverano said:
do you have adaptive suspension?

looks like the 4 dampers, but it is strange that it is happening at the same time for all
Click to expand...
Yes, OP has a 35iS which has adaptive damper - I agree it's your first place to look 2009CAZ4
 
So I went and saw it in the air, they checked all around the transmission and it looked like a brand new car. Pristine looking metal everywhere. We peered under the front dam and didn't see any oil leaks. While it was in the air was the first time I've ever seen the shocks. I don't know what I'm looking at so I wouldn't be able to tell if they were the adaptive type. That said, I asked the tech there and he looked and said "I think those are regular ones"

I'm a little confused why they'd be regular ones, but maybe someone swapped them between 2009-2017 when it wasn't my car. When I put the car in sport mode the trans gets tighter, but I don't know if the body handling changes any. I will say sometimes when I'm at a red light and I feather the brakes I can feel the car lift, or lower. As if something in the suspension was "smart".

No signs of leaks anywhere on the car. I was embarrassed cause they inspected it for free, and gave me 5 days of a rental for free.

I need to pressure wash the driveway and then monitor it more. I wish I had a friend with a lift so I could inspect her bits more often.

Edit: Another example, if I put the car in launch mode, and just barely touch the gas the rear end lowers. Almost positive its not stored torque in the rear end.
 
Adaptive dampers don’t lower the car they stiffen up making the ride firmer, when you feather the throttle it’s the rear end lowering due to it taking up drive, also it’s not actually an automatic it’s a twin clutch gearbox.
 
2009CAZ4 said:
Edit: Another example, if I put the car in launch mode, and just barely touch the gas the rear end lowers. Almost positive its not stored torque in the rear end.
Click to expand...

You can't be in launch mode if you are just barely touching the gas - launch mode requires gas/accelerator to be fully pressed to the floor.
 
I suspect its not adaptive then. I notice the transmission feels great in sport mode, but the body probably is the same.

As for the rear end lowering on throttle, I'm talking like an extra 10 rpm. From idle 650? to 660 the rear gently squats down and holds that height until you let off.

It is definitely not air conditioner drip. I looked at that tube and it is like 2 inches to the right of the exhaust.

I still haven't cleaned the driveway so I can't look yet for new drops.
 
It's just the drain tubes from the air conditioning dropping condensation from the evaporator. What you're seeing is water, nothing to worry about.
If you're still concerned, go for a drive with either the air conditioning turned off or ventilation off altogether and you shouldn't get any leak.
 
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