Nearly shat myself last night. Drove car last night and it started running V hot (towards the red line). Checked the coolant and there was none in the header tank. After moaning to a mate on the phone I topped up the coolant, and went for a drive. Temp was fine and car drove fine. As I pulled up I noticed some steam escaping from the front of the engine bay on the passengers side. I cant see where it is escaping from but it is coming out in a fine mist, although not consistantly. My friend said that it may be dripping onto the heat sheild and then turning into steam, which would make sense as it is intermittent.

Will check fluid levels today, cant check for wet patches as it has been raining all night. I'm guessing that it is a radiator or bottom rad hose leak. Apart from visual inspection is there any way of checking the hoses without removing them?

Thanks for any advice, was bricking it cos I thought it would be the HG.

 

Had the same thing about 10 days ago. Was hoping it was just a loose hose or clip, but closer inspection revealed radiator had split.
Now replaced with an ally one, but if you can't see it peeing water out of the hoses you might want to check along the bottom of the car to see where it's coming from.

 

When I had similar issues, water leak from the passenger side it was a spilt heater matrix hose.Hard to spot as they are under the TMIC!!
I could also hear hissing from the back of the engine.

 

I'm hoping its something that I can see at the front as it appeared to be coming from the front. I haven't really got anywhere to work on it so it might have to go into the shop. I'm not sure I'd back myself not to make a pigs ear of it anyway.