Radiator Drain Plug Leak: 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium

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Oct 6, 2020
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So I just traded in my 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium for a 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium. I'm paranoid so I decide to swap the coolant from the Ford orange to the new yellow even though it's at 40,000 miles. I never removed the radiator drain plug/petcock; just loosened it and tightened it. When I checked it, the entire reservoir was empty. I tightened the petcock a bit, and then refilled with water just to see what was going on. It was empty this morning. Unfortunately, it's been raining so I can't really see where the leak is coming from. But do I just replace the drain plug, and where do I get it from? Thanks.
 
Get one from the Ford dealer, this seems to have a plastic plug with 2 key ways that draw it tight when tightened, it uses an O ring to seal.
Be very careful with these you can break the tab in the plastic radiator tank. Lube the new one with Vaseline, it may be a bit difficult to remove the old one, open it and pull out, you may need pliers.
Put the new one in in the open position, push then twist it shut, again you may need pliers to full seat it twisting it closed but don't go overboard.
Next time pull the lower hose.
 
Get one from the Ford dealer, this seems to have a plastic plug with 2 key ways that draw it tight when tightened, it uses an O ring to seal.
Be very careful with these you can break the tab in the plastic radiator tank. Lube the new one with Vaseline, it may be a bit difficult to remove the old one, open it and pull out, you may need pliers.
Put the new one in in the open position, push then twist it shut, again you may need pliers to full seat it twisting it closed but don't go overboard.
Next time pull the lower hose.

Thanks for answering. Do you have a picture or video about the tab in the radiator tank? Do you mean break the plug so that a portion is in the tank itself or break a part of the tank? I will pull the lower hose from now on. In fact, that's the factory recommended way to drain the inverter system coolant so I don't know why I didn't just pull the hose.
 
before you do all of that, fill the resevoir tank again and see if it loses fluid again...it may have had air somewhere in the system and burped it out overnight resulting in the lower level.

Thank you for the advice! I did that twice already, and it was still empty the second time. Sucks that it's raining here so I can't see where the leak is coming from (there's just too much dripping all over the place) but I can only assume the problem is with the petcock area because that's all I touched.

Yes do as the above posters have said. I can’t believe something that new would break like that.

Yeah, but I'm also an idiot so maybe I broke it?
 
Thank you for the advice! I did that twice already, and it was still empty the second time. Sucks that it's raining here so I can't see where the leak is coming from (there's just too much dripping all over the place) but I can only assume the problem is with the petcock area because that's all I touched.



Yeah, but I'm also an idiot so maybe I broke it?
If you did it’s ok lol. We had a customer once come in who said “my son is a mechanic and he said coolant should be changed with every oil change” so they had a 2018 Avalon and had to get a new radiator because the son had used channel locks to open and close it and had broke it they were so angry and I thought it was so funny.
 
Get one from the Ford dealer, this seems to have a plastic plug with 2 key ways that draw it tight when tightened, it uses an O ring to seal.
Be very careful with these you can break the tab in the plastic radiator tank. Lube the new one with Vaseline, it may be a bit difficult to remove the old one, open it and pull out, you may need pliers.
Put the new one in in the open position, push then twist it shut, again you may need pliers to full seat it twisting it closed but don't go overboard.
Next time pull the lower hose.
Hey Trav, it sounds like those drain plugs Ford put on their composite oil pans. Ford comes out with some messed up ideas. It's almost like the Engineers are getting high while at the drafting board. :ROFLMAO:
 
If you did it’s ok lol. We had a customer once come in who said “my son is a mechanic and he said coolant should be changed with every oil change” so they had a 2018 Avalon and had to get a new radiator because the son had used channel locks to open and close it and had broke it they were so angry and I thought it was so funny.

Ford put the petcock (lol) behind the radiator support so unless you remove the support, you have to use a needle nose plier with a 90 degree twisted tip. I didn't go nuts with it but maybe I'm stronger than I thought? I didn't tighten it enough initially so I tightened it some more put maybe that second time was too much. Like it was straight up and down when I loosened it so I just got it back straight up and down.

Hey Trav, it sounds like those drain plugs Ford put on their composite oil pans. Ford comes out with some messed up ideas. It's almost like the Engineers are getting high while at the drafting board. :ROFLMAO:

Yeah. Again, they put the petcock behind the radiator support. You need to take off the front bumper cover to replace the headlights. You need to take off the trim and remove the glove box to replace the cabin air filter. The battery is in the trunk. The transmission is "sealed" so you have to mess around with funnels and tubing to get fluid in there.

Also, he should run the heater at high heat to circulate coolant and get air from the heater core.

Thanks! I was aware of this and it was a pain because it's a hybrid so I need to step on the gas pedal to get the engine to run.
 
Ford put the petcock (lol) behind the radiator support so unless you remove the support, you have to use a needle nose plier with a 90 degree twisted tip. I didn't go nuts with it but maybe I'm stronger than I thought? I didn't tighten it enough initially so I tightened it some more put maybe that second time was too much. Like it was straight up and down when I loosened it so I just got it back straight up and down.



Yeah. Again, they put the petcock behind the radiator support. You need to take off the front bumper cover to replace the headlights. You need to take off the trim and remove the glove box to replace the cabin air filter. The battery is in the trunk. The transmission is "sealed" so you have to mess around with funnels and tubing to get fluid in there.



Thanks! I was aware of this and it was a pain because it's a hybrid so I need to step on the gas pedal to get the engine to run.
Yeah I hate those supports I’ve done them on many Fords. Ford comes up with some of the worst designs on things.
 
Yeah I hate those supports I’ve done them on many Fords. Ford comes up with some of the worst designs on things.
Yeah they do.
What about the 5.4's that were spitting out the spark plugs because the holes didn't have enough threads! And, the 5.4's with the new plug design that are leaving part of the plug in the head upon removal?
Again, Engineers passing the peace pipe around while at the drafting board! ☺🥳
 
Yeah they do.
What about the 5.4's that were spitting out the spark plugs because the holes didn't have enough threads! And, the 5.4's with the new plug design that are leaving part of the plug in the head upon removal?
Again, Engineers passing the peace pipe around while at the drafting board! ☺🥳
Exactly. I’ve done my fair share of those spark plugs the 4.6 it would occasionally happen on as well too but not nearly as much as the 5.4. When I buy Ford I avoid the 5.4. They also have poorly designed brake calipers as well don’t ever volunteer to do one LOL.
 
Exactly. I’ve done my fair share of those spark plugs the 4.6 it would occasionally happen on as well too but not nearly as much as the 5.4. When I buy Ford I avoid the 5.4. also have poorly designed brake calipers as well don’t ever volunteer to do one LOL.
Too late! When I was helping my son R&R his front brakes on his 04 (new style) F150 Lariat, the phenolic pistons cracked in both calipers! 🤬😡😠
 
Too late! When I was helping my son R&R his front brakes on his 04 (new style) F150 Lariat, the phenolic pistons cracked in both calipers! 🤬😡😠
I think those are the ones with the screwed up design they have that piece you have to pry out and try to avoid flinging it into yourself lol 😂. I hate those things. Also the fact they use Allen head screws instead of bolts. And usually it’s odd sized Allen’s too.
 
I think those are the ones with the screwed up design they have that piece you have to pry out and try to avoid flinging it into yourself lol 😂. I hate those things. Also the fact they use Allen head screws instead of bolts. And usually it’s odd sized Allen’s too.
I don't recall them having Allen head bolts. I'm pretty sure the caliper bolts were 13mm. :unsure:
 
I don't recall them having Allen head bolts. I'm pretty sure the caliber bolts were 13mm. :unsure:
The ones on my 2008 Escape are 9mm Allen heads well actually the factory ones were we bought two reman ones from Advance Auto and one is now a 7mm and the other is a 9mm it drives me insane lol 😂.
 
Personally I wouldn't have messed with a 2019 car with 40k miles.

Does the service procedure usually suck the coolant out under vacuum or does it advise draining via petkok?

Newer cars need to be filled under vacuum also, as air bubbles can overheat the engine.
 
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