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The puff of steam is probably nothing more than morning condensation accumulating between the radiator fins and then warming up and dissapating due to the heating up of the radiator itself. The reason it goes out of the engine compartment instead of in is that the engine compartment is warmer than the outside air, and when the car is stopped at a red light, the warmer air radiates away from the engine compartment via any passage available - i.e. engine compartment - through the radiator and out via the front grill. You should only see this on fairly humid, yet mild, mornings (i.e. sping and fall) and this should only occur during the first 5-10 minutes of warm up and driving.
To make sure, try looking for the same puff after a half hour drive or so - right after you saw it that morning...
I've seen this in many of my original 900's, a 9T, and now my 9-3...
Obviously, this puff should in no way affect your antifreeze level - best time to check and compare this is in the morning - before you start your car...
The clunk on reverse braking is most likely caused by worn calipers - when you are driving forward and depress the brake pedal, the force that the caliper and brake pad excert is in one direction - when you back up and brake, the force is reversed (since the wheels are turning backwards). The result is that, eventually, the caliper/brake pad assembly develop some back and forth play (this does not mean that they are loose and will fall off) which results in a THUNK noise when braking in reverse. I have only seen this problem develop with cars that have milage in excess of 120k or cars that are continually driven in an urban environment (less miles but more stress per mile)...
Hope this helps...
posted by 24.195.19...
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