Hello, I have a 97 960. I have been loosing antifreeze. Pressure test showed water pump leaking. Had a new water pump, drive belts and timing belt installed. I'm still loosing fluid but no puddles until now. I pulled it out of my garage and saw two small puddles. Each look to be behind the front seats towards the outer edge by the back doors. I was thinking heater core until this. Now I am confused. Any ideas on this one?
Thanks, John

 

Yikes! If the heater core is leaking you should smell anti-freeze in the car. It is possible that the heater core can be leaking and Volvo install some kind of drain tubes to get it out of the car.

I would put the car on ramps, take the splash guard off, wipe everything down, drive the car around the block and back on the ramps while it is running, then get under it to see what is leaking. Also, if the car is hot, you can sometimes hear the leak when you turn the car off, it will hiss. I found a tiny, tiny leak at the top of my radiator today just listening.

If you take the timing belt cover off you can see if the water pump is leaking again. You should not see any anti-freeze in the timing belt area under the water pump.

 

I'm sure the water pump is not leaking. The windows fog up easily and they are hard to defog. Not smelling antifreeze inside the car. No wet carpet yet. Could the radiator be seeping and evaporating the antifreeze before it hits the ground?

 

No on the evaporating. Anti-freeze is an oily subtance and will not evaporate. It may burn but you'll smell that a mile away.

Your windows fogging up is likely not related. You may have a clogged drain like somewhere but Volvo's are engineered to run the AC to clear fog off the windows. They should clear up in less than a minute.

I thought you said you had anti-freeze under the car???

 

I do have a leak under the car. If you sat in the back seat, it would be right under your feet towards the outside edge of the car. It is on both sides. I'm betting it blew there from somewhere else and that is where it dripped when the car was parked. I have a good mechanic whom I trust. He installed the water pump, drive belts and timing belt about a week ago. He is trained and certified etc. for Volvos. He is also expensive. That's why I turn to you guys in hopes that I may be able to save a few bucks. You have helped me in the past and I thank you sooooooo much.
John

 

Heater core. Running back on floorpan under carpets and draining out somewhere.

Regards, Andrew.

 

I'm going to agree with Typhoon. It definitely sounds like a heater core leak.

I replaced one in a 940 before, and taking apart the whole dashboard isn't very fun, but is possible. Took 8 hours.

 

For some reason, my 960 smelled like fish inside, but it was the heater core leaking...