Coolant levels

[NiNo_LoCo]

So I picked up my R last night. This morning checked the water and it's already on the minimum line. Hmmm going to suss it out on the weekend.

[DDTW]

Why? The car is under warranty, you're aware that it's low, there is a warning system there if it does drop too low so what is there to worry about when there is an explanation given by a dealer about why it could drop a little?

Calm down Mav.

To me, that's an unacceptable drop in coolant level after traveling only 2600kms.
I'd expect a warning as soon as the level drops below the minimum line.

[dave_r]

Don't open the bonnet, problem solved

[DDTW]

Very peculiar, this R. I drove to the dealer this morning and the coolant level rose back to normal. I was speechless when the hood was popped up.

So if your coolant level drops to lower than normal and the warning light hasn't come on, try running the car and check the level again.

[VW Convert]

Very peculiar, this R. I drove to the dealer this morning and the coolant level rose back to normal. I was speechless when the hood was popped up.

So if your coolant level drops to lower than normal and the warning light hasn't come on, try running the car and check the level again.

Nothing too unusual about this. As the temperature of the water increases it expands and the level rises, as it cools it contracts the level falls thus the term expansion tank. I would guess the "Min" level would be the minimum level when hot rather than cold so the level may be below "Min" when cold.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the level unless it was continually dropping and having to be topped up which would indicate coolant loss somewhere in the system.

[Maverick]

Very peculiar, this R. I drove to the dealer this morning and the coolant level rose back to normal. I was speechless when the hood was popped up.

Almost like it's an expansion tank where the coolant level increases and decreases as the coolant heats and cools!

So if your coolant level drops to lower than normal and the warning light hasn't come on, try running the car and check the level again.

RTFM, the manual states that coolant is to be checked when the engine is cold and it should be above the minimum line. It should also be topped up when cold and must not go over the maximum line, in between the two would be the best place to fill when cold unless you don't mind wasting some coolant when the excess is dumped.

The warning light only comes on when the coolant is very low or the coolant temperature is too high.

[Corey_R]

Yeah - I advise that you guys just pick up a bottle of G12++ the next time you're at your dealer, service centre, or VW performance/tuning/service specialist. It's not expensive and you must top it up when its cold as Maverick has pointed out. It's all documented in your manuals.

[yyn]

About 3 weeks ago I took my car for the 15k service at a VW service centre. 2 weeks after the service I opened the bonnet for a look and saw that the coolant tank was 3/4 full. My initial thought was obviously they must have accidentally overfilled the coolant because the coolant level was meant to be within the indicated shaded area as per the manual. So last week I took the car back to them to enquire about the coolant. Apparently according to the service guy it's quite okay to have the tank filled up close to the top but after saying that he took my car in to take out some of the coolant. Now the coolant tank is half full.

[HPSOV]

0km Coolant and oil were both sitting on max line. 11 months and 9200km and both are exactly on the minimum line, perfect timing for the service next month!

[DDTW]

Yeah my engine was cold when I checked and the level was way below the minimum line. I haven't driven it for 2 days when I checked.