I had a front end collision and the coolant is leaking possibly into the combustion chamber which is causing white smoke to come out of the tail pipe. Now the vehicle will not shift into park.

Usually caused by a head gasket leak which is allowing coolant to leak into a combustion chamber. Check your coolant level to see if it is dropping.

Usually, white smoke is caused by coolant in the combustion chamber. Maybe a head gasket problem?

Usually white smoke from the exhaust means that there is radiator coolant leaking into one or more cylinders. Blue smoke is normally from burnt engine oil. Check your coolant level and you will probably find it is down below the full mark.

Have a leak down test done on all cylinders and this will show up a leak in the combustion chamber(s). You will also likely have combustion gasses leaking into the coolant passages and that can cause some overheating of the coolant. If you see bubbles in the coolant , once the engine has warmed up so the coolant begins flowing through the radiator, then you have a compression leak into the cooling system and in that event you will also have coolant escaping into a cylinder or cylinders and producing white smoke.

Coolant leaking into the cylinders will be via a blown head gasket or a crack in the cylinder head or both. If you have run the engine in an overheated condition this will certainly produce a damaged head gasket and possibly damage to the cylinder heads as well.

Yes this is correct, you can get important information from the colour of smoke from the exhaust:

Blue/Gray Smoke: Blue/gray exhaust smoke is an indication of oil burning in the combustion chamber. These are possible symptoms and causes:
Valve Seals: Leaking valve seals will cause blue/gray smoke at startup because oil leaks past the seals into the cylinder after the engine shuts down.
Valve Guides: Excessive clearance between the valve stem and the valve guide allows oil to leak past the gap into the cylinder.
Piston Rings: Worn or damaged piston rings will cause blow-by resulting in blue/gray smoke.
Worn Cylinder Walls: Worn cylinder walls cause blow-by resulting in blue/gray smoke.
PCV System: A stuck closed PCV valve will cause excessive crankcase pressure resulting in blue/gray smoke.
Black Smoke: Black exhaust smoke is an indication of a rich fuel condition. These are possible causes:
Fuel Injectors: A leaking or dripping fuel injector will cause a rich fuel condition.
Fuel Pressure Regulator: A stuck closed fuel pressure regulator will cause a rich fuel condition.
Fuel Return: A restricted fuel return line will cause a rich fuel condition.
White/Gray Smoke: White exhaust smoke is an indication that coolant is burning in the combustion chamber. These are possible causes:
Cylinder Head: A crack in the cylinder head (around the coolant jacket) will cause coolant to enter the combustion chamber.
Engine Block: A crack in the deck of an engine block near the coolant jacket will cause coolant to enter the combustion chamber.
Head Gasket: A damaged or blown head gasket will cause coolant to enter the combustion chamber resulting in white/gray smoke coming from the tailpipe.

It is common to see white exhaust smoke when first starting a car, especially on cooler days. This is generally steam caused by condensation. As the engine warms up and the condensation dissipates the white exhaust smoke (steam) is no longer seen. If excessive white exhaust smoke is present well after the engine warms up, it is necessary to have the car inspected for possible internal coolant leaks. Indicators of an internal coolant leak include billowing white exhaust smoke accompanied by a sweet odor or a low coolant reservoir level. An internal coolant leak can also contaminate the engine oil giving it a frothy, milky appearance. Even small amounts of coolant entering the combustion chamber will produce white exhaust smoke. One of the main causes of white exhaust smoke and coolant loss is a cracked or warped cylinder head, a cracked engine block, or head gasket failure caused by overheating. A cracked head may allow coolant to leak into one or more cylinders or into the combustion chamber of the engine. Dirty coolant, a poorly maintained cooling system, a low coolant level, or a non-functioning cooling fan can cause engine overheating. In addition, engine wear can eventually cause the gaskets to lose their capacity to seal properly allowing internal coolant loss. Intake manifold gasket and head gasket failures are two of the most common sources of internal coolant loss caused by engine wear.
Never remove the radiator cap or coolant reservoir cap while the engine is hot or running as it can cause serious injury; always allow the car to cool down completely first. Checking for a low coolant level in the reservoir is the first step in determining if coolant loss is causing the white exhaust smoke. If the coolant reservoir is at the proper level but excessive white exhaust smoke is present, a cooling system pressure check is required to determine where, if any, coolant leaks are located. THESE LEAKS WILL CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE! Have the car inspected immediately.

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Internal coolant leaks can and will cause

One of the main causes of white exhaust smoke and coolant loss is a cracked or warped cylinder head, a cracked engine block, or head gasket failure caused by overheating. A cracked head may allow coolant to leak into one or more cylinders or into the combustion chamber of the engine. Dirty coolant, a poorly maintained cooling system, a low coolant level, or a non-functioning cooling fan can cause engine overheating. In addition, engine wear can eventually cause the gaskets to lose their capacity to seal properly allowing internal coolant loss. Intake manifold gasket and head gasket failures are two of the most common sources of internal coolant loss caused by engine wear.


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You most likely have a broken head gasket and it's leaking coolant water into your combustion chamber, therefor the white smoke at the tail pipe and loss of coolant. This is serious as it could damage your engine if not taken care or immediately.

if its white smoke coming out the tail pipe then its burning coolant.possible head gasket.cracked cylinder head,cracked block,it will have to be block tested to see if combustion chamber gases are in the cooling system.

Hello my name is Ben. You most likely have a leaking head gasket. The gasket leak is allowing coolant into the combustion chamber which is why you see the white smoke.

Usually white smoke all the time indicates a leaking head gasket (leaking coolant in the cylinders), which should be fixed right away because piston rod bearings and crankshaft bearings really don't like antifreeze... Can cause serious engine damage.

In rare cases, white smoke only at cold startup (stops right after startup) is an indication of too much fuel in the combustion chamber