I've had the coolant warning light go off earlier this week and i topped up as per the manual. The light went again this morning and but went after the car had warmed up. I've just started cleaning for inters but noticed that the coolant expansion tank is a bit dirty from the inside. So much so that you can't see the fluid to check how much is in there.

I'm going to pop into the dealer tomorrow morning but does anyone have any thoughts? Car is a VRS TDi 15k miles registered in September 07.

Here's some pics including the 'dirt' on the end of my finger as I managed to reach round and touch the inside of the tank.

I'm no mechanic but it doesn't look good?:confused::(

Isnt that a sign of oil and coolant mixing? If so , thats not good.

Steve

Isnt that a sign of oil and coolant mixing? If so , thats not good.

Steve

That's my interpretation. Here's some better pics to illustrate as the flash got in the way a bit! ....

Busted head or head gasket?

Have you checked the oil to see if there's any muck in it (milkyness etc)?

Busted head or head gasket?

Have you checked the oil to see if there's any muck in it (milkyness etc)?

I've checked the oil at the filling point and dipstick and there's nothing untoward. I'll pop down to the dealers tomorrow and see what they say.

Good luck, hope it's nowt serious. You're under warranty aren't you?

Welcome to the wonderful world of head gasket failure. :(

Coolant in oil doesn't always happen, depends on oil pressure and how much and where the gasket has actually failed.

Oil in coolant is not always fatal, apart from maybe the heater matrix getting blocked.

Welcome to the wonderful world of head gasket failure. :(

Coolant in oil doesn't always happen, depends on oil pressure and how much and where the gasket has actually failed.

Oil in coolant is not always fatal, apart from maybe the heater matrix getting blocked.

The local dealer said the same this morning and the possibillity of other part failures too. They had one exactly the same last week infact.

I'll be dropping the car off to them on Monday and aparently it takes 4-5 days to complete as the head has to come off:(

Nevermind, this is what warranty is for and they have told me I can have a diesel Octy as a curtesy car while it's done and the system flushed.

get some rad weld chucked in the coolant instead :P

get some rad weld chucked in the coolant instead :P

I haven't got any but I was thiking of egg white instead:D

No sprinting for me at Inters though:(

Head gasket my ****, oil cooler failure would be much more likely

Head gaskets are not very common on these are they?

Don,t put any additives in it as you will make more trouble especially as its under warranty.