I just joined after seeing the posts on headlight adjustments. I couldn't find a way to adjust the headlights on my 98 Durango. With a bit of help from a Dodge Forum thread I can see at night again. That's not my question...

My 98 Durango (5.9L, SLT) seems to use a bit of coolant or at least I keep having to put coolant in the coolant recovery bottle (reservoir) on occasion. It's not a steady use but it does happen. I don't really want it to be a head gasket issue and want to know if anyone else has experienced this or can explain where it goes. The coolant reservoir has been replaced courtesy of a deer but the coolant still disappears slowly so I don't think it could be not a leaky reservoir.

 

How slow is "slowly"? are we talking adding coolant once a week? month?

 

The coolant use doesn't seem to be a predictable rate. I can drive 2000 miles on a trip in the summer and not use enough to have to add coolant. Then 1000 miles later check the status and need to add a quart or so to get the coolant to register on the reservoir dipstick. Needless to say, I carry coolant with me where ever I go because it is so unpredictable.

I thought I had fixed it once when I replaced a leaking thermostat housing gasket about 5 years ago.

 

You were probably low to begin with.

Just do a flush, add proper amount and go from there.

 

Interesting thought. Once the weather warms again I'll give it a flush. It's been awhile since the coolant was flushed anyway. I'd sure like that to be the problem but it seems to use too much between flushes to just be low coolant. I really need to track the amounts and timing better. We mostly use the rig in Winter for my wife and on long trips.

 

How hot does your heat get?

I had my cooling system flushed two years ago and my heat gets so hot you can’t keep your hand in front of the vents for too long

 

The heat gets warm enough that I haven't worried about it. We haven't noticed it getting as hot as you describe for yours. I don't think I've ever had a heater output in a vehicle get that hot. Does your engine run hot too? Sounds like a thermostat problem.

 

Nope. Runs within spec. My 2012 ram is the same way, gets very hot like the durango. My fusion gets up there but the heat is distributed to the back seats as well. I never use the rear seat AC/heater in the durango so maybe that has something to do with it??