So I just got my new replacement engine a week ago, everything seemed fine. Then just yesterday I noticed misty smoke coming from my grill at night through my headlight. I lifted the hood didn't see any smoke, I checked oil later on it seemed ok. I turn car on next day, tons of whining going on. I'm like wtf is this, figured maybe it would go away. It sorta did, and did some errands. I started it again later, and still noise. Sounded like an old man's ford or something.

I check under my hood, guess what power steering is low, about 2 inches or so below min. I call up the dealer service dept, state my complaint, and then top off the fluid with power steering fluid I have. I figure, well if the dealership can't top one fluid they probably can't top another. I look around, and bingo... my coolant reservoir is low! At the way bottom of the reservoir, can only see it by opening the cap. Possibly reason behind odd smoke prior? I never noticed my temp gauge go up, at least not significant amount to notice since there's just tick marks. I did notice a smell, I just don't know what 'overheating' smells like, thought it was new engine breaking in. The smell would sort of come in thru the air conditioning vents as well.

After seeing this I had it with the service dept and went off. Worst mechanics ever, and this is not the first time they have been terrible, and I'm sick and tired of it.

So my questions, do you think my power steering pump etc is damaged?? Is my brand new engine damaged too?!

 

If you're power steering pump has stopped making noise after you topped it up, I really wouldn't worry about it. If it is still noisy after the fact, then yes, have it inspected...

As far as your coolant res being low, when a cooling system is filled and bled, this being the case with your new engine being installed, after the first couple of drive cycles you put the engine through, the small amount of air remaining in the cooling system will actually find its way out through the bleed tube, just below the rad cap...and the extra space which is now in the system is actually filled by the coolant in the resevoir. This is probably why your res was low. The smoke that you saw coming from the front of your car may have been coolant which spilled during the fill/bleed, or other shop chemicals/oils which may have bee used during install...

I'm not saying that this is exactly the case, but they are sometimes the case. With that being said, I would still have the vehicle inspected for power steering leaks, as well as coolant leaks...

With regards to your engine, if it runs as it should, and if hasn't over-heated, I wouldn't really stress too much...

Just my 2 cents...

 

Thanks for the reply I appreciate the insight.

I stressed mainly because the service mechanics have a history of being terrible, just sloppy work. And I hate having to go back after I was just there.

The power steering was actually leaking from a washer on to the engine. They had to fix that. That was also the smoke I saw most likely coming from that, it had a smell too.

The coolant they said could just get low after first time, it probably didn't overheat.

Everythings good now!

 

Glad to hear everything's ok...

 

Thanks yea everything seems good now. If I have to go back within the next month I'll probably explode lol.