Modern coolants have picric acid added - the taste of paracetomol, but much stronger - to stop people or animals drinking it.

If the coolant has dripped through the engine, it may have picked up some oil.

 

Well could be a coincidence. I had to add coolant to mine as well as it was losing fluid slowly. One day all my coolant started pouring out from the water pump and it seized. But hey mine is a manual so I can't tell you since you have an auto.

Did you take a look around the water pump yet?

 

???...Ok..lol

 

Well If you do decide to do a tranny fluid flush/replacement don't overfill; there's dump valve on the trans. and it will end up all over the rear of your car if you do..lol

 

I'm taking it to a tranny repairshop hopefully within this month.
I added 1 quart into it a couple weeks back and it's been ok after that.

 

I don't really have a place to raise the car and take a look at it so I'm going with the leaking seal for now.
Let me know if you find the leak source.

 

My $0.02:

You can get various fluids that incorporate a fluorescent dye. You then examine under a black light to try and trace fluid leak. Dunno where you'd get them currently, bought some a long time ago at GM dealer for hydraulic fluid leak on Audi. The small amt. of fluid probably won't necessitate a true Toyota fluid WAG?

HTH,

 

I was agreeing with you questioning if he actually checked the trans fluid with the all the conjecture about what the fluid actually was. haha

 

Yes I've checked it.