Howdy folks!
I got an '09 stock Rubi and on cold mornings I am getting a bit of vapor rising from the front passenger side of the hood. The manual says a bit of vapor is normal. On this forum a few of you have replaced radiator caps and worn hoses for the same problem. Well, I took it to the dealer and they replaced the cap and checked all hoses, they even hooked up their computer to it, it still steams/smokes a bit... What gives? Should I even worry? Any thoughts would be much obliged.

Big thanks from a Jeep lover and a forum newbie!!

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Mine does that when I wash it.

 

It's normal, providing you have no leaks.
The heated air rises from the radiator, and when it cools, water vapor condenses out of it.

 

Just drove out of the car-wash. Steam is comming up from the radiator. By the time I got back to work could see no steam. And I did check for leaks.

 

My 2010 JKU does the same after a cold shower. Nothing to worry about.

 

My '11 JKU does this and my '07 Commander both did the same thing on cold days when it is raining or rain changing to snow. every time i stop at a red light or park it outside there is a steady cloud of steam coming out of the grill. I never notice it unless there is water invalid. Another one of those "Jeep things".

 

Yes, yet another Jeep idiosyncrasy that is a product of having an open grill and an electric fan. I see this a lot with mine up here in the PNW when it rains. The cold rain comes in through the open grill and gets the radiator all wet. Then because the electric fan usually isn't running on a cold day, the steam (evaporated rain) does not get pulled into the engine compartment but exits out the front of the grill when not moving.

 

This. The first time I saw it on my Rubi I thought there was a problem, but it's normal.

 

My 2010 Rubicon does this on cold days in Denver too. It usually happens after a few miles of my morning drive to work. It goes away by the time I get to work (10 mile trip).

 

I like that it does that...just a JEEP quirk!