I have Skoda Fabia Comfort 1.4 mpi. I recently had a problem with leaking radiator when water coolant indicator turned on each time the water level dropped below minimum. If I added the coolant liquid it would go off. I had the radiator replaced with the new one and changed G12 liquid, but the indicator started turning on each time the engine was cold. When engine was hot (the gauge needle reaches 1/2) and I take out the ignition key, then start the engine again after several seconds, the water coolant indicator wouldn't turn on. They told me in the garage that the sensor in the expansion bottle (for water coolant liquid) is dirty and that I should have the whole expansion bottle replaced. I also had the expansion bottle replaced with the new one. They had all the errors regarding water coolant sensors deleted. It was all OK for about 1000 miles, and then all the sudden the same error occurred. The indicator would beep and turn on every time the engine is cold. If I drive it for a couple of miles and the temperature gauge reaches 1/2 (optimum level), I turn off the car, start it again the indicator does not turn on again. I also had the other sensor replaced for water temperature, all errors cleared in the garage but it wouldn't solve the problem. Water level in th expansion bottle is OK, G12 liquid is new - each time I start the car in the morning for the first time (cold engine) the indicator turns on, after driving several miles if I turn off the car, start it again, the indicator goes off. Does anyone has a clue what might be the problem and how to solve it?

Sounds from what you've said that the new tank they put in was duff. Happens sometimes - hope you kept the receipt! You can check if it IS this by unclipping the sensor plug and shorting the connectors with a bit of stiff wire. If you don't get warning lights / beeps then it's definitely the sensor in the tank that's faulty. Of course, you could keep the tank you have and just short out the sensor as just described. There's no harm in this provided you're confident the repair on the radiator is OK, and you're happy to check the coolant level by eye on a regular basis.

HTH

Sounds from what you've said that the new tank they put in was duff. Happens sometimes - hope you kept the receipt! You can check if it IS this by unclipping the sensor plug and shorting the connectors with a bit of stiff wire. If you don't get warning lights / beeps then it's definitely the sensor in the tank that's faulty. Of course, you could keep the tank you have and just short out the sensor as just described. There's no harm in this provided you're confident the repair on the radiator is OK, and you're happy to check the coolant level by eye on a regular basis.

HTH

Thanks, I'll give it a try and let you know if it worked...

Hello,

I have a 1.4 TDI Fabia and I have the same problem with the coolant indicator - but only in cold weather. In my case if outside was colder than approx. -8 degrees Celsius the indicator started beeping. If i turned the engine off and than back on it stopped. There was no fault there - I just topped off the coolant with about 100 ml of coolant and the beeping stopped. I have the car for 3 years now, and in the last 2 at the beginning of winter I had the same problem.

Hope this helps.

Sounds from what you've said that the new tank they put in was duff. Happens sometimes - hope you kept the receipt! You can check if it IS this by unclipping the sensor plug and shorting the connectors with a bit of stiff wire. If you don't get warning lights / beeps then it's definitely the sensor in the tank that's faulty. Of course, you could keep the tank you have and just short out the sensor as just described. There's no harm in this provided you're confident the repair on the radiator is OK, and you're happy to check the coolant level by eye on a regular basis.

HTH

Hey Ap0gee,

Thanks once again. I briged the expansion tank's plug connector with a piece of copper wire before I started a car for the first time in the morning and the indicator did not turn on. So I guess it seems that the tank sensor is faulty. I heared in the garage that the tank sensor would indicate an error if the freezing point of the coolant liquid is not adequate (in my case it was -32 C which was OK)? Could a tank sensor indicate any other error of the cooling system?

Thanks!

I've not heard of it being capable of measuring the anti-freeze content - the only function I know for certain that it measures is the level of coolant in the tank. If the level drops below the end of the prongs, there's no electrical circuit and you get the warning, so obviously by bridging the terminals you're completing the circuit another way and making the ECU think there's coolant in the tank.

Certainly, I would bet money on it being a faulty sensor in your new tank. Like I say, it sometimes happens. I don't know how sales law works with you, but I expect you should be able to get another one provided you kept the receipt / invoice.

I've not heard of it being capable of measuring the anti-freeze content - the only function I know for certain that it measures is the level of coolant in the tank. If the level drops below the end of the prongs, there's no electrical circuit and you get the warning, so obviously by bridging the terminals you're completing the circuit another way and making the ECU think there's coolant in the tank.

Certainly, I would bet money on it being a faulty sensor in your new tank. Like I say, it sometimes happens. I don't know how sales law works with you, but I expect you should be able to get another one provided you kept the receipt / invoice.

THANKS A LOT !!!

I bought my Fabia 1 year ago and first thing was to replace the coolant container, because of broken sensor. It cost only 17€ and this made me very happy. Cheap replace! And it was bought from Skoda dealer!

Now, one year ago, I have this same problem. Broken sensor. Another 17€? Does this need a replace every year? Damn, I just connected these wires and that stopped the annoying noise. Anyway, I now need to check the coolant level with my own eyes, because the sensor is not availabe anymore.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for preventing this problem?

Br. Jari from Finland

I have experienced this problem too on a Skoda Fabia -02 1.4 MPI.

Less than a year ago the problem started the first time. After a couple of trips to the workshop they decided to replace the expansion tank. This worked.

Then yesterday it stared to act up again. First time it happened the coolant level actually was to low. So I topped it off but the problem did not go away. After much thinking and Googgling. I decided it must be the sensor that is dirty.

So I removed the expansion tank and measured the resistance on the sensor. It was >20 M ohm with only water in the expansion tank. So I decided to wash it thoroughly with warm water and dishwasher detergent. After a good rinse and only water in the expansion it now measured ~4M ohm. I decided that this was good enough.

Back at the car I connected the connector to the sensor and added water to the expansion tank. No hoses connected (thumb in the hole to stop from draining). Turned the ignition on and waited for 15sec.

No error.

Drained the water to less than min. and turned on ignition again and waited. The error sounded again. Mounted everything back as it should be and added coolant to the tank 1cm under the min. Turned ignition on and waited. Sure enough error sounded. Topped off to half between min and max and turned on Ignition. No error. So seems like washing the expansion tank worked. To the history also adds that the header gasket have been changed on the car. So there is some oil residue in the cooling system. That might be the original problem.

Edited 29 December, 201213 yr by burra