I thought I was intelligent...

[Dudeoli]

Well I have to admit, I feel pretty stupid after some recent issues that I've had with the vRS. Like a lot of Fabias, it's losing coolant somewhere so I've topping up with water whenever the dash light starts flashing at me. Recently though I ignored it flashing for a few months with the intention of buying some antifreeze as its probably quite diluted. About a week ago however, the heater stopped working and last night on the motorway the temp went above 90.

I decided to stop and let it cool a bit and bought some pre mixed coolant, topped it up, ran the engine for a minute, topped up again etc. now my heater works (one job not to worry about) but I've either got a lot of air in the system or a bad leak as the level drops rather quick and the light comes back on again. I suppose I'd best find the leak and fix it?

[Dudeoli]

I should also point out that this morning I accidentally poured fresh oil into the expansion tank (bottles the same colour) but at least no temperature problems today

[mogwye]

A common fault is where the heater pipes go through the bulkhead, water leaks when hot and runs down onto the exhaust and evaporates, check when hot.

 

DB

[kennedy]

Mine does exactly the same.Lasts about a month before the light comes on again.I also just top up with water so think i should use coolant next time.

[vrsRob]

Mine does exactly the same.Lasts about a month before the light comes on again.I also just top up with water so think i should use coolant next time.

 

SAME!!!!

[Dudeoli]

A common fault is where the heater pipes go through the bulkhead, water leaks when hot and runs down onto the exhaust and evaporates, check when hot.

DB

When I looked last night I couldn't see any coolant coming out, but it does look damp below the two pipes going into the bulkhead. I guess seeing as there was no water going through no water would come out there, just steam. I'll have a look today when it's hot and coolant level settles a bit

[RKelby]

I should also point out that this morning I accidentally poured fresh oil into the expansion tank (bottles the same colour) but at least no temperature problems today

How much oil did you manage to get in before realising? Surely overtime this could congeal and cause flow issues in the rad/ heater matrix. Might be worth flushing the cooling system if there was a lot.

 

Ryan

[Phil-E]

Mine does exactly the same.Lasts about a month before the light comes on again.I also just top up with water so think i should use coolant next time.

 

Yup. I had this on my Cordoba PD130.

 

Phil

[vindaloo]

Well I have to admit, I feel pretty stupid after some recent issues that I've had with the vRS. Like a lot of Fabias, it's losing coolant somewhere so I've topping up with water whenever the dash light starts flashing at me. Recently though I ignored it flashing for a few months with the intention of buying some antifreeze as its probably quite diluted. About a week ago however, the heater stopped working and last night on the motorway the temp went above 90.

I decided to stop and let it cool a bit and bought some pre mixed coolant, topped it up, ran the engine for a minute, topped up again etc. now my heater works (one job not to worry about) but I've either got a lot of air in the system or a bad leak as the level drops rather quick and the light comes back on again. I suppose I'd best find the leak and fix it?

 

 

Do you have a drive/place to park where you can see any seepage on the ground? Could give an indication from where it's leaking.

 

Places I've read of it leaking from.... Heater matrix pipes/cilps where it goes through the bulkhead. Radiator end tank. Radiator temperature switch.

[spud31]

Also if a BLT engined car with EGR cooler, check top hose from thermostat housing to EGR cooler and these rub on the heater hose clips and chafe through.

Was a recall on ibza cupra, and my FR had 2 of these hoses till i rerouted it.

[Dudeoli]

How much oil did you manage to get in before realising? Surely overtime this could congeal and cause flow issues in the rad/ heater matrix. Might be worth flushing the cooling system if there was a lot.

Ryan

Only a little, doesn't seem to have cause an issue yet. I think when I can find an fix te leak I shall give it all a flush before I refill it

[Dudeoli]

Do you have a drive/place to park where you can see any seepage on the ground? Could give an indication from where it's leaking.

Places I've read of it leaking from.... Heater matrix pipes/cilps where it goes through the bulkhead. Radiator end tank. Radiator temperature switch.

It looks like it may be heater matrix. I'll have a look when it's running and up to temp to see if I see it seeping out. Also if I leave the heater turned up my windows often mist up, which again, I think could be the heater matrix :/

[Kevin_Mc]

I thought I was the only one with coolant leak problems! I have a leak somewhere as does my girlfriend's Ibiza FR

[Dudeoli]

I think a lot of air got in the system, because after topping up many times before driving anyway the warning light would come on.  Before I left work today though I started it with the expansion cap open, ran it for a little while, shut it off and topped up and all seems to be ok now.  I imagine it probably is still slowly leaking somewhere, it's just a case of finding where (very hard with the dark nights).

[national]

I was losing coolant, I had already replaced expansion tank, due to the faulty sensor

It turned out to be the radiator, the plastic at the bottom cracks, you never see the actual leak as it seeps away into the under engine tray

To confirm you need to remove the tray and rev up when hot, then all is there to see

 

I had mine to a Skoda tuning specialist, who still has an interest in SKODA (He used to race them and Sponsor Briskoda) he picked it up straight away

Yes it cost me, but less than I thought it would be

 

National