Coolant Loss New Radiator Required?

[Booth11]

Hi Pld, really sorry to hear you are still having issues with your car 

Are you sure it's not the water pump, a common issue with some mk6's which is failrly well documented.  Early on in my mk6 ownership I was getting slow coolant loss and did a bit of reading about it.  Turns out wasn't an issue and no further loss since.

[Snoopy]

The water pump is a well known issue. I wouldn't be suprised if it is that. It may well be a radiator but far more common for the water pump to fail.

[Pld118]

Thanks for more helpful replies.

The dealer has since said that it's definitely believed to be the Rad and not the water pump as coolant was seen 'pouring down' into the tray. 

They say if the warranty doesn't cover this repair cost, then they will, but not if the radiator needs to be replaced due to stone chip or other damage. 

They have said the radiator foils are aluminium, fragile and therefore vulnerable to stone damage.

It has been a battle to reach this offer.

The manager I spoke with says he feels it less likely that damage will be the cause.

Given the car should have a plastic protective under cover then it seems the only obvious way damage could have been caused would be a stone flying through the small and undamaged honeycomb front grille but the manager said a stone could have flown up from underneath and into the non visible aspects of the Rad.

Maybe I should feel relieved.  However, after this overall after sales experience I can't help feeling cynical.

[andygo]

So a small loss, which you can't see, manifests itself in the VW workshop as 'pouring' onto the drip tray. Hmm, yeah, right. Ask them to show you...

[Pld118]

Glad it's not only me who is sceptical. 

They've offered to send video footage of the radiator being removed.  Tempted to wait as they do it but they've quoted 3 hours.  Perhaps I can wait until they've at least removed it.  However, if they insist it's 'damaged' 1.5 hours into a 3 hour job, a £452 bill will have my name on it.

A really cynical person might be concerned that the damage is already done!

[Booth11]

After all the hassle you've had from the off, I think you've every right to be sceptical.   No doubt it will be a very clever and nimble stone that's caused the damage, a bit like the 'Kennedy magic bullet      

I think you need to carry out a watching brief.

[Pld118]

 

Yes 'Booth', hassle indeed.  No way we've caused 'damage' to that radiator.  The car is driven by Miss Daisy!

It's their random educated guesses that concern me because they're having so many more guesses at what might be unwarranted coolant loss as to what might be causing warrantied coolant loss.

Time will tell!

[Booth11]

Well it goes without saying that I hope the outcome is favourable for you and your wife  Keep us updated 

[Pld118]

Thanks. Only seem to come on here with tails of woe... Superb, fine looking car when behaving 

[Pld118]

Could just as easily be the water pump...

Andygo, I've just had a thought.  I read back the through the timing chain tensioner replacement thread, recalling that you've done this recently and I was looking for your 'how to' to determine if any coolant components need to be or could be damaged or disturbed during the process because our timing chain tensioner was only replaced by the dealer a few months ago.

You're post shows that at least the coolant reservoir gets disconnected and moved to do the job.  Hose left not watertight and/ or otherwise damaged, for example:
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=262793.270