GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: AdmiralGant on 12 August 2014, 21:42
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Hi,
Had the low coolant warning light come on when I started up this morning, I got out and checked and noticed it was about an inch below the minimum level.
I then started the engine again and the light did not come back on. I then put a pint of water in tonight.
I cannot see any leaks from the radiator, I don't remember hitting anything and have had no steam etc.
Has anyone else had need to top up their water coolant reservoir? The car has done about 7k.
Thanks
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Yep same here - did it last week when hit around 9k (GTD) - used coolant from halfords rather than water though.
In for a service this Thursday so was going to query it or have it noted on file as thought it was strange.
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Hi, I wouldn't worry unless it drops again, it's quite common to top up the coolant in between services on these modern engines. We find we have to top up 8 out of 10 cars on their first service. If you've done 7000 miles you will soon have a service where volkswagen can check it over. Just keep an eye on it :smiley:
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If you used tap water and not distilled water you will be causing engine damage. You should get it drained and filled with VW G13 coolant asap. Assuming this applies to a GTD as well as a GTI.
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If you used tap water and not distilled water you will be causing engine damage. You should get it drained and filled with VW G13 coolant asap. Assuming this applies to a GTD as well as a GTI.
Coolant (of which there will still be plenty of in the cooling system) has a corrosion inhibitor - just for topping up, tap water will be fine.
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Gnasher is spot on here... tap water is fine in relatively small quantities... had the same with mine the other morning, the level was a little below the minimum...
Why do "these modern engines" need a top-up between services? The coolant must be going somewhere... I'm not concerned but I would like to understand what is different about a modern engine because the only time I've had to top coolant up in the past is when it had leaked out because of a split hose or on one car a head gasket issue failure so it was going out of the exhaust...
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Ive had the same, I believe it is due with the type of engine (prefer water to filling up with oil like the bmw engines) also aircon may add to the water loss.
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The mk7 engines don't need topping up in between services... they may need some on first service because when the car leaves factory it will always still have a little bit of air in the system (which is quite complex on the mk7), plus hoses expand a bit when they got hot a few times over the first few k miles. These things will cause the level to go down a bit, even though there's no leak.
All absolutely normal and been like this with pretty much all new cars in the last decades.
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I had the same on my GTI. Asked them to look at it at the first service and they found a small leak in the water pump. Replaced under warranty and it's been fine since then
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Just to add to this thread, my Scirocco had a water leak a few years ago (turned out to be the water pump) and the dealer said tap water would be ok in small quantities. Distilled water is preferable though.
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Hi,
I had the low coolant light come on when I started the car at lunchtime today. When I checked the expansion tank was almost empty! I called VW assist, who sent the AA to check things out. They refilled the tank and did a pressure check which showed no sign of a leak. My car is in for its first service next week, so I will get things checked out.
I mentioned all this to a chap at work who also has a Gti, 3 months newer than mine, and guess what! His did exactly the same thing 2 weeks ago.
In my mind there has to be a leak somewhere?
Ian
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My GTD did it a few weeks back - about 12k on the clock.
Bought some more pink gunk stuff from the stealers and topped it back up.
Turns out the pink gunk is just anti-freeze and probably I could have added about 500ml of tap water without causing any problems (assuming it doesn't fall to minus 40 next week).
Can't say I remember seeing this problem on any other (non VW) cars ever owned, except when a stone kills the rad...