Coolant level below min, could I get a vote from everyone who had to top the coolant

[Gallo]

Hello everyone I was wondering if I could get some feedback from as many people as possible who as had to top the coolant from having the car from brand new out of the factory.

Many thanks in advance

[neiln]

Yep.  It almost certainly will have some air locks that will need a fully warm engine and maybe motorway/higher speeds to get out

[toni8b]

Your dealer should have done this for you. Dont tell me they gave the car with min coolant levels?

[mobil531]

Yes the level was on the minimum when I took delivery of my Ambition wagon in January. The service manager of local dealership said was not required to top up to max level and any serious shortage of coolant would be reported by warning light system. Sounds like cost saving by VW, imagine if all fluids in all VW group vehicles were at minimum required level compared to maximum levels the cash savings are significant.

Regards

Roger

[hobbie2k]

Mine was at the max level when we picked it up. The level did drop to about halfway after some driving and has stuck there since.

[savvy5]

Yep very common due to air bubbles caught. Mine literally went from max to min in a single possibly vigorous drive. No issues since topping up but need to keep an eye on it.

[worthyd74]

^{I've just had the 15,000km service and they said they have to replace the thermoregulator due to a coolant leak. I've had to add almost a litre of coolant since owning the car. They'll need the car for a day.}

[Gabbo]

I would say normally you shouldn't need to top up engine coolant between services.

I've never done it on any of my previous cars & haven't had to add anything on the Octavia either. (45,000km done)

However, the Octavia engines seem to have a few problems with small leaks, thermostats & water pumps which can require top-ups.

 

Provided the level is between MIN & MAX there should be no problem & there is a coolant level sensor which will give you a warning if it is low.

[Gabbo]

Yes the level was on the minimum when I took delivery of my Ambition wagon in January. The service manager of local dealership said was not required to top up to max level and any serious shortage of coolant would be reported by warning light system. Sounds like cost saving by VW, imagine if all fluids in all VW group vehicles were at minimum required level compared to maximum levels the cash savings are significant.

 

In the factory, the will fill each engine type with exactly the same quantity of coolant.

They use a automated vacuum system to try elliminate as much of the air from the system as possible before releasing the coolant back into the system.

(Its also a mess-free way of checking for leaks in the system)

I wouldn't be suprised if this left the coolant just above the MIN level after the air had been elliminated.

 

They make thousands of engines a year so to save 100ml of coolant on each engine will be a big saving overall.

The same for fuel, washer fluid, oil, brake fluid etc

They will add just enough to turn out the warning light.

[Ootohere]

Fair enough observation.  I expect they make Millions of Engines and Vehicles.

 

But then the vast majority of vehicles do not arrive at the Supplying Dealer with the Coolant on Minimum and just enough Coolant 

in at the factory to turn off the Warning Light.

 

Often when topped up at a PDI or Service to MAX the level will then go where it will sit.

This being below MAX,  between Min & Max.

If there was a ' Fill to this Level',  that would be easy to put on the Reservoir (Filler Bottle),  but then vehicles are used in different Climates,

Altitudes & Conditions,

hence MIN & MAX. 

Do not let below Min when Cold, and if the car has the level going above Max, there is a system to let out Steam & even Fluid.

Sealed Systems, that have a pressure release, nothing new.

 

Leaks are a different matter all together.  They need checked and remedial actions taking.  ie  Fixed.

Edited 10 June, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[ednmra]

Had mine since October 2014 and have not had to top up anything, not even the tyres!

Oil, coolant and air pressures all spot on (actually engine oil a bit overfilled but it isn't using any.)

All I've done is top up screenwash !!!

 

Mind you, I've only done a bit over 3K miles so far.

[Diango]

I've done (this morning, when I stopped for diesel) 29959 kilometers since november last year. 

 

So far she needed 3 liters of oil (I put in the first 2, the third one was 'done' with the first 30k service when they switched out the oil anyway) and half a liter of coolant, for which they gave no explanation other than 'it's normal'. 

 

Tyre pressures seem to drop right after a winter/summer tyre swap but stay pretty stable after correcting that. 

[neiln]

I collected my car June last year. First check I made after a few days and ~150 miles showed the coolant at 4/5 up from min, towards Max. In the first month/800 miles the coolant dropped, in a couple of steps, to just under minimum. I topped back to Max and assumed it was probably airlocks being driven out but determined to keep a regular watch. By November the level had dropped just a couple of mm, not enough to worry, possibly due just to cooler weather, so I continued to watch it.   By mid/late April and some warmer weather the level had dropped further to about 2/5 up from minimum.  I topped back to Max, a week or so later booked my first service and told the dealer I had a small leak needing investigation.  I had my service yesterday.  The coolant system was pressure tested and the engine visually inspected, no leak found.  Coolant topped up (it was down a couple of mm from Max) by the dealer.  I was told now to continue to watch, if it drops don't top up, if it drops below minimum book the car in for a couple of days, I'd get a courtesy car, and the dealer would pull the engine apart to find the leak.   While is prefer they found it yesterday they didn't and I suspect SUK would not authorise a major strip on my described as symptoms alone, which seems fair.  I suspect the car presenting with coolant below minimum WILL be enough evidence for SUK to authorise a major investigation despite the passing of a pressure test, hence the dealer's 

 

Frustrating, but reasonable.

[Ootohere]

This is a story being told more often concerning newer Volkswagen Group engines,

as it has been for years now on older Volkswagen Engines.

Decades of Engine & Car building and issues keeping H20 in Engines and out of passenger cabins.

 

& no need for a strip down to carry out further investigations just yet.

But remember Dealership earn well doing Warranty work for Manufacturers, and many Factory Trained Technicians are in fact 

Trained Fitters, and Master Technicians are few and far between in the Dealership Workshops.

[Mence]

Not so far...

[citembe]

I had the low coolant warning coming up in December and had to top it up. When I told the dealer at first service in January they were very surprised like they didn't believe me. They said that they couldn't find any leaks.

No alarms since the topping up.

[ednmra]

Presumably, even in a fairly enclosed system, there must be a little evaporation over time? Not necessarily leakage as such.

[neiln]

Not sure.  My loss is teenie and it isn't a problem to put a little extra in occasionally... I guess I am losing the difference between Max and min levels in a year.  If that's normal for the engine I don't have a problem with that.  However I've not had to top up other cars unless I've had a leak, so ...I am not sure but strongly suspect I have a leak this time.  It's small, I suspect intermittent, maybe only when the engine is hot/under load.   I'm not fretting, but I hope it doesn't escalate into a significant issue at an inconvenient moment..... Which is often what seems to happen.

[neiln]

Oh and I intend to keep the car many years, so fixing niggles with potential to become costly issues while under warranty is of interest to me.

[racman]

yes

Edited 10 June, 2015 by racman

[Silvergamer]

Mine did throw up the warning about the coolant after about 1 month from brand new. It was way below minimum when i checked it until i opened the cap and air rushed in and the level rose ,but only to the minimum so i had to top it up.

[ABvRS]

New vRS delivered in August, no visible issue with coolant.  October warning light and coolant below minimum.  Regularly checked since then and needed topping up and so far used about 1.5 litres.

 

Booked for variable service this week (15k on clock) and requested that during booking they also check front shocks (minor knocking) and coolant for leaks.  They ordered parts in advance of service and when I went to collect they confirmed known problem with thermoregulartor (there was a service bulletin) had been fixed but unfortunately they ordered wrong parts for shocks!  Going back for shocks later in the month (also a known issue with service bulletin).

[cortina63]

Iv never had to top it up or top up the oil between services, tdi vrs 20k miles, like the old pd unit it gets better with more miles

[worthyd74]

Thermoregulator seems to be a problem as I stated on 10th June if you need to top up more than a litre of coolant in 10,000kms it appears a known warranty issue at least down under!!!  They also noted on my first service front tyre tread depth 4mm compared with 7.5mm on rear haha no second guessing why that would be!!! Maybe I should stop turning off traction control.

[andyvee]

1 year and 20k in my first O3 (CR150) and didn't need to top up oil or coolant.

 

6 months and 10k in my second O3 and not needed to top up either (CR150 again).