Had a warning about low coolant level this morning. Curious about what normal consumption is as the car is only 9 month old and has done 12,000 miles. I've never had to top up coolant on any car I've owned before over 20yrs of driving. Anyone had similar issues?

 

Also, is there a specific type of coolant needed for the top up?

People have had lots of issues with leaky water pumps and pump housings etc, its a common warranty job.

It should not lose or consume any coolant at all at that mileage.

Do not buy and add coolant to your nearly new car.

The level should have been above the MIN level after the PDI.  Have you ever looked and checked.

 

Call into a Skoda Dealership.

Tell them at the Service Desk that the Level has dropped, or the warning light showed.

 

A Qualified Technician can put some in to above the MIN level.

& the Service Desk staff can 'Note on the System',  the Coolant Drop.

 

It is not normal or a characteristic, or acceptable, so it will be reported early, and any 'They all do that' given as a response means 

VW / Skoda have an issue.

Meaning they can not say, 'Never heard of that before'.

The car does not "use" coolant. If the levels going down its leaking.

I have the same problem. I think is coming from water pump. Also in cold mornings there is present a noise like a "squeaky bearing".

Wednesday I'm going to service shop for maintenance (60.000 km) and I hope they will be able to fix this also... :(

 

If you want to add coolant it has to be G13. I had trouble finding it into shops so I bought from dealer.

Edited 7 March, 201610 yr by cip

Update - phoned dealer who said I should just top it up and monitor consumption. Wasn't happy with this so phoned a different dealer who advised I call Skoda Assist and they will come and check it out.

 

Chap from Skoda Assist was excellent. Arrived in an hour, refilled coolant, checked for leaks and said it was under filled in the factory. Also topped up the oil and checked the tyre pressures with his calibrated gauge without asking. First class service.

 

Interestingly, when I mentioned the 1st dealers advice, he said you should only top up the coolant as an emergency. Not least because you need to use the right product (G13) and also because the system needs re-pressuring after the re-fill.

 

Lesson...if in doubt, call Skoda Assist!

Update - phoned dealer who said I should just top it up and monitor consumption. Wasn't happy with this so phoned a different dealer who advised I call Skoda Assist and they will come and check it out.

Chap from Skoda Assist was excellent. Arrived in an hour, refilled coolant, checked for leaks and said it was under filled in the factory. Also topped up the oil and checked the tyre pressures with his calibrated gauge without asking. First class service.

Interestingly, when I mentioned the 1st dealers advice, he said you should only top up the coolant as an emergency. Not least because you need to use the right product (G13) and also because the system needs re-pressuring after the re-fill.

Lesson...if in doubt, call Skoda Assist!

You can top up the coolant, it doesnt need repressuring, it pressurises itself upon getting up to temperature (note dont open the cap when its hot :-)). The point being is it shouldnt really need topping up between services, if it does it may be low from factory...have an airlock which will resolve with miles or possibly have a dicky coolant pump. My GTD has used a little since new but has stabilised now...I think it was low from factory and had a bit of an airlock myself.

Also yes you need to make sure you use the hot pink G13 stuff.

Update - phoned dealer who said I should just top it up and monitor consumption. Wasn't happy with this so phoned a different dealer who advised I call Skoda Assist and they will come and check it out.

Chap from Skoda Assist was excellent. Arrived in an hour, refilled coolant, checked for leaks and said it was under filled in the factory. Also topped up the oil and checked the tyre pressures with his calibrated gauge without asking. First class service.

Interestingly, when I mentioned the 1st dealers advice, he said you should only top up the coolant as an emergency. Not least because you need to use the right product (G13) and also because the system needs re-pressuring after the re-fill.

Lesson...if in doubt, call Skoda Assist!

You can top up the coolant, it doesnt need repressuring, it pressurises itself upon getting up to temperature (note dont open the cap when its hot :-)). The point being is it shouldnt really need topping up between services, if it does it may be low from factory...have an airlock which will resolve with miles or possibly have a dicky coolant pump. My GTD has used a little since new but has stabilised now...I think it was low from factory and had a bit of an airlock myself.

Also yes you need to make sure you use the hot pink G13 stuff...reasonably priced at any TPS outlet.

Check for water leaks and white crusty residue around the coolant circuit plumbing fittings.

Also remove the oil filler cap, any signs of emulsified oil may indicate an internal water leak within the engine block/head.

If your coolant level is falling over time it has to be going somewhere. As someone mentioned prior it's a sealed system and develops pressure when the engine drives the water pump.

Is the expansion tank cap on tight? Don't allow steam to vent as this will also cause a loss of overall coolant volume

as said, an airlock from factory is common and will come out over the first few hundred miles with the car getting up to temp and circulating the fluid.  top up with some g13, get a bottle from the dealer.

also as said though, leaks are not at all un heard of, so if it keeps going down raise it with the dealer. the dealer will normally say its fine and top it up, until you point out its been topped up.  they will then inspect for visual signs of a leak and do a pressure test.  if that doesn't show signs of a leak it still doesn't mean there isn't a slow one, but skoda uk won't authorise a tear down to go looking, so the dealer will send you away and say don't top it up again, and bring back if it dips below the min. this is where i am....or rather I'm half way down the expansion tank again, on the way to minimum.  I assume that presenting to the dealer with it dropped again will be sufficient evidence for skoda uk to authorise a tear down.....i suspect ....i hope.

Edited 7 March, 201610 yr by neiln

Update - phoned dealer who said I should just top it up and monitor consumption. Wasn't happy with this so phoned a different dealer who advised I call Skoda Assist and they will come and check it out.

 

Chap from Skoda Assist was excellent. Arrived in an hour, refilled coolant, checked for leaks and said it was under filled in the factory. Also topped up the oil and checked the tyre pressures with his calibrated gauge without asking. First class service.

 

Interestingly, when I mentioned the 1st dealers advice, he said you should only top up the coolant as an emergency. Not least because you need to use the right product (G13) and also because the system needs re-pressuring after the re-fill.

 

Lesson...if in doubt, call Skoda Assist!

Happened to mine (Tsi) exactly same as yours. Did you see how much the Skoda Assist man added? When mine did it it took less than 100ml. It happened when we had -10. The difference in the low and high marks and the warning is not much. If the car was built in the summer/warmer month and then comes to UK and encounters low temp and it's only been filled to just over the min line then this can happen as the fluid changes density.

Since adding the top up its never moved - now 35000 miles.

My car is only 5 months old and the coolant warning light came on. Level was low but dealer pressure tested and there was no leak so they just topped it up.