Hi folks,

I haven't posted around these parts in a while, but I need some advice.

I've got an '11 plate 30K mile Fabia II VRS, which recently went to the dealers to have some work done.

When I got it back, it dumped coolant all over the road. As soon as I noticed the coolant light come on, I pulled over.

The coolant was dumped because my dealers didn't bother connecting up the radiator hose properly...

So it's now back with them.

My concern is that I may not have noticed the coolant light early enough (was playing radio, so can't be sure I heard the audible 'bong'), and that some damage may have occurred to the engine. They're saying that a topup is fine, but I'm obviously reluctant to take their word for it.

I could see there was still a small amount of coolant left in the expansion tank, so is it likely that everything's OK, and that I just lost a bit? I can't be sure how much coolant was lost really...

Looking for some advice from people who've been in similar situations and/or have technical knowledge - not looking to start a "stupid dealers" thread...!

Thanks

L

as long as it didn't overheat it will be fine.... did you notice what the temp gague was reading?

Hi sharkrider - sadly not - I was too angry about the whole thing and not thinking straight. I managed to take a picture of the top rad hose obviously not being connected, and I noticed there was about 1cm of coolant left in the expansion tank, but that's about it.

I guess the question is - if there's a small amount of coolant left in the expansion tank, does this mean that the rest of the system is basically still full, or does it mean that there just happens to be a small amount still in the expansion tank, and the rest of the system could be bone dry?

Also - where's the thermostat on these engines? Is it on the upper rad hose or lower? If upper, then I suspect it only blew its coolant once the thermostat opened, which means before then coolant was circulating fine (presumably)?

Thanks

L

Has it dumped ALL coolant?

If there was coolant left in the expansion/top up tank then no problem at all, just top it up and you are fine. No coolant in the expansion tank whatsoever engine might have overheated in parts where coolant was absent. Depending on how you were driving at the time - really pushing it or doddling at 30mph in traffic?

I do not think in your case there was any damage done.

So, say again how did it happen and where from coolant was leaking?

Hi Jabozuma - thanks for your reply.

Basically, I was about 1 minute from my house when I decided I'd boot it to test the new clutch plates (that's what they were replacing) - up until that point I had driven pretty sedately for about 20 minutes from the dealers.

Once I booted it, I noticed the coolant light came on, and literally less than 20 seconds later, I pulled up outside my house. At that point, I noticed some dribbles up the road (where I had come from), and a big splash under the car.

When I opened the bonnet to have a look, everything was kind of drenched, but the top radiator hose was obviously hanging off (the jubilee clip was far too far down the hose to have ever been on properly).

So... my *guess* is that they stuck the hose on, and that they didn't out the clip on properly.

When I booted it at the end of my road, I'm guessing either the thermostat kicked in (thus pumping water around the rad and putting pressure on the hose), or if the thermostat was already open, then booting it will have increased the pressure from the water pump. Either way, it will have blown the top radiator hose off (if it wasn't already off).

I'm therefore *assuming* that I didn't lose any coolant before that point, and that once I had parked up, because there was a tiny amount of coolant still in the expansion tank, it suggests there was still coolant in the rest of the system.

I just don't know for sure, and I don't want to be the proud owner of a highly tuned engine with a warped head gasket or whatever.

L

That is really shoddy workmanship and they should be seriously ashamed of themselves letting a car out of their shop without at least two people checking it where one of them hasn't worked on it at all - things like loose hoses are easy to spot with fresh eyes .

I think you have nothing to worry mate. First of all I am pretty sure engine had coolant in all passages and secondly you did not have enough time to heat load it in that short time you had for booting it. If I was the Service Manager I'd be hard pressed to look you in the eye without turning beetroot red top to toe...

How are they going to "reimburse you" for your troubles? I am sure they will be less than happy if SUK learned how good their are servicing their cars

Well... Skoda UK know all about it - I've emailed them as I've already got a complaint open with them (my car has been through two sets of corroded wheels, two sets of corroded wheel centres, a set of corroded front/rear skoda badges, clutch plates, software updates, oil breather modifications, various bits of interior trim falling off - I thought new cars were supposed to be reliable?) - but haven't heard anything back from them yet. Will be interesting to see what their perspective is.

The service manager personally delivered my courtesy car, and was very apologetic - to be fair he has always been great, as has his team - it's just the technicians at that place are pretty useless - I've yet to see them not **** *something* up.

In addition to the coolant hose not being connected properly, they left me with a scrape in the front bumper and a ding in the rear quarter, which they've now got to fix.

So no... not very impressive at all...

Thanks for your feedback - gives me some hope that things will be OK.

Oh... and as for reimbursement... they can give me a new car that doesn't fall to bits every time I look at it - that would be nice - but not really the Dealer's problem (unless I argue it's not fit for purpose, which as a car, it isn't).

Wow, doesn't make an inspiring reading, your list of problems with your car...

How much fluid did it take to refill the system?

Wow, doesn't make an inspiring reading, your list of problems with your car...

I forgot about the failed heated seat element too :-)

Corrosion only took about 10k miles to set in on the various bits I've mentioned. Most failures were before the 20k mark but I've had issues with the gearbox in the last 5k miles and I'm at 29k.

Gearbox issues should be solved with the clutch plates and software update, but no - not at all what I expect from VAG. Very disappointed.

Edited 21 May, 201313 yr by louisv6

How much fluid did it take to refill the system?

Hi Brian,

Funnily enough I just got an email from the dealers confirming that they had to add 1.5 litres to a 6 litre system.

Sounds OKish?

L

I recon you would have known if you damaged it as the engine would have became very hot, steamed away like a sauna and smelled like merry hell, making a fair bit of pinging and metallic sounding noises. Then the head would have warped and it will no longer stay watertight anyway, spewing the water back out almost straight away.

As for you mentioning not being the dealers problem... You purchased it from THEM, not from Skoda UK, so it IS their problem. Your contract is with them, they must arrange the repairs. They just pass it on to Skoda.

Sorry to hear about that louisv6! On a side note did they swap the badge and wheel centres though warranty? My front badge and centres are corroding too!

Ajfisher - yes - all done under warranty. Thankfully I haven't had to pay a penny for anything so far... I'm just worried about when the warranty runs out!

Hello louis, understandbly you are concerned about the coolant thing. From you info here, I agree with Jabo. There will be no damage to anything I assure you. You did not lose enough coolant and the engine was just not hot enough for damage to occur.