Author Topic: Low coolant warning  (Read 3315 times)

Offline MrJollygood

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #10 on: 05 January 2019, 16:08 »
Some interesting, and some scary replies! On the way home last night the low coolant light wasn't triggered but this morning in the cold it came on again.

I avoid main dealers anyway, in my experience they are twice the price and twice the hassle. Always had much better service from good independents.

The car is booked in for a service Friday so will ask the question and get them to check if anything doesn't look right.

Fingers crossed it's not too serious...this is supposed to be the reliable everyday car but not living up to that promise at the moment...

Greig
2013 Golf GTI (PP) Tornado Red
1959 Triumph TR3A
2014 Porsche Cayman S

Offline MrJollygood

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #11 on: 05 January 2019, 16:14 »
RE: the thermostat housing issue that a couple of you guys have mentioned- can you explain what the actual problem is?

Thanks,

Greig
« Last Edit: 05 January 2019, 16:25 by MrJollygood »
2013 Golf GTI (PP) Tornado Red
1959 Triumph TR3A
2014 Porsche Cayman S

Offline Ryan90GTI

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 634
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #12 on: 05 January 2019, 22:30 »
Some interesting, and some scary replies! On the way home last night the low coolant light wasn't triggered but this morning in the cold it came on again.

I avoid main dealers anyway, in my experience they are twice the price and twice the hassle. Always had much better service from good independents.

The car is booked in for a service Friday so will ask the question and get them to check if anything doesn't look right.

Fingers crossed it's not too serious...this is supposed to be the reliable everyday car but not living up to that promise at the moment...

Greig

If my car wasn't under warranty it would've cost me a fortune. So far it's had a new coolant pump, shock absorber (not covered by warranty) and I've had to have the bushes re-greased because the suspension was creaking. Add to that absolutely crap customer service from VW my first experience of them hasn't been the best. For the last few months everything seems fine (touch wood).

Offline fredgroves

  • Serious forum addict
  • *
  • Posts: 7,602
  • Professional Um Bongo drinker
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #13 on: 06 January 2019, 10:45 »
RE: the thermostat housing issue that a couple of you guys have mentioned- can you explain what the actual problem is?

I would guess that the radiator thermostat sensor sits in effectively a sealed box in which the coolant flows around it. Somehow vibration or corrosion or something causes this "box" to degrade and it becomes non-water tight and you get coolant leak either slowly or massively.

These sort of problems occur across all sorts of marques, not just Golfs. I had the EGR housing on my Vauxhall Insignia let go all at once on the motorway a few years ago.... how the engine didn't seize I don't know!

As for whether what you (and I!) are seeing with coolant levels, I don't know. I'm not sure if there are just normal gradual loss of coolant anyway that is topped up at service and both of us are just at the low ebb point vs the service cycle.

Current: Mk8 GTI DSG, Adelaides, DCC, HUD, HK, Winter Pack, Rear Camera.. Aka "HMS Weasel"

Gone: 2017 Mk7.5 GTD,manual, NavPro
Gone: 2014 Mk7 GTD, manual, NavPro, DCC

Offline Pretzel

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 151
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #14 on: 06 January 2019, 17:36 »
Low coolant warning came up on my car a couple of months ago, (thought it was orange not red?) I topped it up and mentioned it at the service a few weeks later.

During the service they confirmed that there was a leak due to either thermostat housing of water pump they couldn't be sure without taking it apart.

Booked the car in for repair a couple of weeks later so parts could be ordered in advance, turned out to be the thermostat housing but they had my car for almost a week as parts were on back-order and not available in the UK.

Offline Mustabuster

  • Not said much yet
  • **
  • Posts: 37
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #15 on: 07 January 2019, 14:17 »
Just like to add my thermostat housing was replaced recently as well. Then a month later I took it back again because I thought it was still leaking. They didn't find anything the 2nd time. Stripped it down and put it back together again and everything has been ok since.

It was all done under warranty. The invoice to VW Central was over £700.
Jan '17: Golf mk7 GTI PP
5 dr, DSG, Carbon Grey, 19" Santiago wheels.

Offline Finglonga

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 719
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #16 on: 07 January 2019, 15:38 »
I asked the independent how much he charges to change the water pump. The pump is £68 + Vat and around 3hours labour at £40 a hour. The Main Dealer prices are extortionate.

Offline scanesare

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 693
  • GTI Clubsport
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #17 on: 10 January 2019, 12:47 »
Another one with frequent "low coolant" warnings here. It's now been the 3rd time within a year so I booked it in assuming it's the thermostat housing mentioned here and in other forums. By the way there is no visible leak anywhere in the engine bay so it must be a really slow thing. Car is 2.5 years old, 26K km.

Offline fredgroves

  • Serious forum addict
  • *
  • Posts: 7,602
  • Professional Um Bongo drinker
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #18 on: 10 January 2019, 13:27 »
I'd agree, if its a leak, its tiny - the amount of fluid I put in to get from warning level to the max marker was tiny tiny tiny - probably not even a coffee cup's worth.

I'm at 18 months and 32k (miles) on the clock.

My question though - is it expected that without a leak (ie "normal") that the level NEVER changes?

And therefore if it is normal for a variation over time, it will be a service item? ie you could possibly never see the warning because you mileage isn't sufficient between services to ever get the warning? (most people on here seem to own "garage queens"  :laugh: )
Current: Mk8 GTI DSG, Adelaides, DCC, HUD, HK, Winter Pack, Rear Camera.. Aka "HMS Weasel"

Gone: 2017 Mk7.5 GTD,manual, NavPro
Gone: 2014 Mk7 GTD, manual, NavPro, DCC

Offline Gnasher

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,015
  • Formerly GnasherVXR
Re: Low coolant warning
« Reply #19 on: 10 January 2019, 13:51 »
Although mine was classed as the water pump by the stealers when they changed it (thankfully under warranty) the only indication I had of the leak (apart from the slow loss of coolant from the expansion tank) was coolant residue in the hexagons of the plastic sump and I only saw that after the garage sent me photos of it.
2014 Golf GTI (PP) in Pure White with
Vienna Leather, Keyless Entry, High Beam Assist, Park Assist, Rear View Camera. Milltek Exhaust, Eibach Sportlines, 19" BBS SR wheels - SOLD!!!!!

2018 Audi TTRS in Nardo Grey with
Black pack, 20" Alloys, Privacy glass and Sports Exhaust. No mods yet!