Coolant

[pineapples]

Should coolant be measured when the car is hot or cold? When cold it is below the minimum should I top it up?

[Maverick]

Should coolant be measured when the car is hot or cold? When cold it is below the minimum should I top it up?

What does it say in the manual? Follow those instructions and you'll be right. (the manual is located in the glovebox)

You could also do a search as this has been covered before a number of times.

[Pepe]

Firsly, pineapples, welcome to the forum!

Secondly, for a less condescending answer... a quick google search reveals the following:

If you check your coolant level when the engine is cold, the coolant should be at or above the "minimum" or "fill" line on the transparent refill container. If you check your coolant level when the engine is hot, the coolant should be at or just below the "max" line.

Hope that helps.

[Corey_R]

Pepe. I think the best advice is to follow the manual statement. The reason being, in my Golf R at least, if you have the coolant "in the middle of the Min and Max lines" when the engine is cold, then when the engine is "hot" the level can be far above the Max line. Which is why there is a max line - to allow for expansion without coolant spilling everywhere.

Thus, if you followed that google advice and checked whilst the engine was hot and it was only up to the Max line, when cold it could be below the Min line!
You should NEVER fill the coolant whilst the engine is hot - it's an accident and lengthy hospital visit for severe burns waiting to happen...

Thus, check your owners manual

[Pepe]

I think the point of the OP is that the coolant dips below the MIN line at some point during operation... despite advice given, I haven't RTFM either, but making a simplistic observation, the MIN and MAX lines should be the absolute lower and upper limits of coolant levels during all forms of operation, without needing more specialist equipment than a working set of eyeballs to judge whether you have enough or not.

Hence, google also wins! (and yes, I'm sure it's in the manual somewhere)

Just my 2c.

[Maverick]

I think the point of the OP is that the coolant dips below the MIN line at some point during operation... despite advice given, I haven't RTFM either, but making a simplistic observation, the MIN and MAX lines should be the absolute lower and upper limits of coolant levels during all forms of operation, without needing more specialist equipment than a working set of eyeballs to judge whether you have enough or not.

Hence, google also wins! (and yes, I'm sure it's in the manual somewhere)

Just my 2c.

Time taken to join forum and post question: 18 minutes and 4 seconds.
Time to open glove box and check manual: 16 seconds

One of these will also give the accurate information along with safety tips. The manual is there for a reason and should be referred to before you undertake any task that might injure yourself or damage the car. As Corey_R pointed out it's not as simple as throwing some coolant in.

[Corey_R]

I haven't RTFM either, but making a simplistic observation, the MIN and MAX lines should be the absolute lower and upper limits of coolant levels during all forms of operation

Well again, maybe you should RTFM because yet again you are incorrect.

[Busby]

Are you serious?? I always thought the idea of a forum was to share common interests, discuss various topics and support each other?? WTF is with this attitude. OP - mate valid question. Dunno the answer. Maverick - why would you belittle someone for asking a question??

[Blitzen]

Are you serious?? I always thought the idea of a forum was to share common interests, discuss various topics and support each other?? WTF is with this attitude. OP - mate valid question. Dunno the answer. Maverick - why would you belittle someone for asking a question??

You will come to work out Maverick... Sometimes he has a point, but most of the time he just comes across as a douche...

I will agree that he has a point, because with most mechanical equipment, it has come with an owners manual to aid the new owner, and it covers the basic preventative maintenance, including oil and coolant levels, and as a car is usually a persons second biggest investment after a house, it still really surprises me that people don't take a few hours after they buy the vehicle to peruse the owners manual, as you would with a new TV, Microwave, or washing machine...

[Maverick]

Are you serious?? I always thought the idea of a forum was to share common interests, discuss various topics and support each other?? WTF is with this attitude. OP - mate valid question. Dunno the answer. Maverick - why would you belittle someone for asking a question??

Yes, the manual is there for a reason and this is a black and white answer that is covered in the owners manual, it's also something that can harm both the owner and the car if coolant is added incorrectly. Maybe VW should make the manual optional given how many people fail to ever remove it from the glovebox.

To answer the OP with a generic "this is what I have googled" response without offering any of the numerous warnings that are included in the manual (there are three pages dedicated to checking and refilling coolant IIRC) is not doing him any favors and referring him to his manual is the best and safest course of action. The coolant bottle types also differ over the years so this is another reason why he should check his manual as that is specifically for his model of car.

You may call it belittling but the best advice IMO is to RTFM.