can a leaking heater core cause transmission fluid to leak on my floor?

Question

it looks like transmission fluid is coming up through the floor board on the passenger side of my car. the fluid is not draining down from under the dash

Answer 1

Through the heater core, yes, but only if mixed with a large quantity of antifreeze, and chances are it is more likely to flow down from under the dash, not up through the floorboards. Transmission fluid is traditionally cooled through one of the radiator tanks, if the tank ruptures, antifreeze and transmission fluid will mix, but you would have antifreeze in your transmission, and it would not work, the car would not move.

Allow me to propose another possible cause.

In many cars, the transmission cooling lines are attached to the body on the passenger side and follow the firewall before they go to the radiator core or transmission cooler. IF (and this is a big if) you hit something such as a rock, brick, block of wood, etc., hard enough , you could damage a transmission cooling line and at the same time break the seal on the body where the floorboards meet the firewall, fluid leaking from the line could blow back while the car is in motion, leaking into the crack in the seam and coming into the car.

Another possible scenario would be if the floorboards are rusted through, and a transmission line rusted through, or the transmission pan is leaking, again, fluid blowing backwards while the car is in motion.

I have seen rocks puncture transmission lines, and have seen bricks damage floorboards, causing water to leak past the seal when driving in the rain. I have never seen both at the same time.

Another possibility, it is not transmission fluid, but maybe power steering fluid. Most front wheel drive cars have power assisted rack and pinion steering, and the rack is attached to the firewall. If you blow a seal or rupture a power steering line, it could blow back into the firewall, and again, this assumes the body integrity has been compromised in some way. Most power steering fluid is clear when it is new, but circulating through a system, it has a tendency to take on a brownish tint.

Answer 2

If it is leaking it will be a clear fluid and it will drip down your legs and when it breaks breaks or when they break it TONS of fluid will come out it feels weird really. You need to go see your doctor right away to check and be sure if you are leaking they will have to put you into labor if you do not start on your own your baby can not live in there with no fluids so it is very important to get checked out and u could have your baby anyday now your full term.

Answer 3

no a leaking heater core will not cause trans fluid to leak on the floor board - may be red coolant depending on the year/model of the car

Answer 4

No...the heater core only carries antifreeze and is located behind the dash (usually)...if you don't see a spot of ATF on the ground after parking, then it's probably not tranny fluid as it would tend to drip down rather than up.

Answer 5

Anything is possible. The transmission is water cooled so fluid may be leaking into the water

Answer 6

Chances are its a hose that leads to your heater core. but unless you have some kind of weird car it would not come up from the floor board. Keep in mind some types of coolant are red. In addition to that if you have a automatic trani you may have a line that leads to your radiator for cooling purposes. check that

Answer 7

the only fluid in the heater core would be anti freeze,or whatever is in your radiator. check and see if your water level is low in the radiator,because the heater core usually leaks onto the passenger floor

Answer 8

yes it can, it will leak from under the glove box cause thats where the heat exchange is. but its not transmission fluid its coolant

Answer 9

no, but if your chevy is a 96 or newer it uses dexcool coolant which is red in color and could easily be mistaken for trans fluid

Answer 10

That would be antifreeze. If you have pets, don't let them in the car until you get it cleaned up and fixed. It could kill them... (They love the taste despite it's poisonous properties...)