Faint coolant smell coming from the front of the radiator

[Ramanski]

All,

I have a 2022 Ram 1500 Laramie, DT body style, 5.7L HEMI V8 (non-eTorque), with approximately 40,000 km.

I know this topic has come up before, but I wanted to revisit it and see if others have experienced something similar. My truck has had a faint coolant smell coming from the front of the truck, noticeable when the engine is warm or when there’s airflow (wind or driving). The smell is not present inside the cabin.

I previously had the radiator replaced under warranty, which did reduce the smell, but it has not completely gone away. There is still a very slight coolant smell that seems to come from the front radiator/engine area. It’s nowhere near as strong as before the radiator replacement, but it’s still noticeable at times.

My question is whether this is considered normal behavior on the DT-body 5.7L HEMI Ram 1500s, or if it could be related to another common issue—specifically the water pump weep hole, which I’ve seen mentioned in past discussions.

For those familiar with this:

• If the smell is related to the water pump weep hole, what exactly should I be looking for?
• Am I checking to see if the weep hole is leaking slightly, functioning normally, or possibly plugged?
• Would a very minor seepage that evaporates before dripping be enough to cause a faint coolant smell without visible leaks, coolant loss, or overheating?

At this point, I’m not seeing puddles, warning lights, or temperature issues—just the faint odor when warm. I’d appreciate any advice on what to inspect around the water pump and weep hole area, or if others have experienced the same thing and were told it’s normal for these trucks.


Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[mikeru]

Has the coolant level dropped below the low level indicator on the coolant recovery tank? I can say I’ve noticed faint coolant odors at times on all three of the 5th gen 1500’s we’ve owned. As far as the weep hole goes, check for signs of coolant leaking from there. If there is a leak there the water pump needs replacement.

 

[Mojo88]

Overflow/recovery tank is not sealed (where you check the coolant fluid level), thus some smell will most always escape. I noticed the smell right away on mine. Keep an eye on fluid level, but it will likely be fine. If level drops, then pressure test the system.

 

[EdGs]

^^^^Ditto on @mikeru, and @Mojo88 ^^^^^

Have noticed this on my '15 as well. Check your fluids regularly.

 

[Farmer Fran]

My 2020 5.7 had the smell. My 2025 3.0 does not.

 

[DanM]

I found a video on YouTube where the guy added a clamp around the hose at the radiator cap. First i changed cap thinking it was bad. My 2020 did this and i constantly smelled antifreeze but couldn't find leak.

I added clamp around the small hose at the radiator cap and the smell didn't appear again. Hope this helps