'99 Cat - coolant goes quick, no leak evidence

[Murano20155]

A few months ago I bought a '99 Catera so my wife could have a better place for a baby seat and not deal with a 5-speed in metro D.C. I got it from my wife's uncle for $3,000, and for a nearly 10-year-old car, it's done great.

Only problem is the car is currently drinking coolant like it's water. I fill the tank up, per the procedure in the manual, and it is good for a while. Then a few days later, the light comes back on. The car was parked for a few days, and there are no drip spots. I smell no coolant when the engine's hot. The engine temp is right under the half-way mark, and has never risen higher.

I hope someone out there has an idea of what's going on, and I hope it can be fixed cheap... I saw some of the quotes on here for coolant repair, and they're more than what I paid for the car! Thanks....

[Army_MP_From_MO]

What's your oil and your oil cap looking like?

[guardian]

Assuming you are correct and the coolant is disappearing without evidence of leaking, it has to be going somewhere. There are two likely places:

Either out the tailpipe or into the oil.

You need to check, or have a mechanic check, and try to detect coolant, or coolant residue, in a place it should not be.

As for your wife's uncle: He did you no favors. And the word "you", in this instance, is plural.