Just checking and preparing the Yeti for a forth coming trip to the west country and noticed the coolant level was slightly on the low side, suspect it has always been at this level since new (6 months ago), it has always looked to be on the lower limit line, but when closely checked on a truly level surface its slightly below the line. The reservoir is marked with G12 which I assume you have to get from VW, as it only needs a cupful can I top up with water, ignore or make a trip to the dealer to get some G12.

 

Thanks in advance for any advise.

As long as there is some in the header tank and the level remains stable I wouldn't worry unless towing a van in extreme heat for instance

Sounds perfectly normal if always at same level.

Mine was always at this slightly low level for 4 years until I pulled out of our road end which is on an incline. This tilts the vehicle upwards and to one side and on this occasion I was slightly nearer the edge making the tilting worse than usual. The warning light came on (with bong noise) to say that my G12 was too low. So I topped up to maximum afterwards and is since stayed at that level.

Maybe find a VW owner, and move some coolant across from that as wife's August 2015 is still an inch or so above the Max level mark.

 

Talking about visiting the West country, I remember when I had an Ford Orion Ghia Injection, either going down or coming up a hill near Lynton/Lynmouth and the brake fluid/coolant low warning came on although the levels, on flat ground were correct!

 

Surely, if you are in any doubt, play safe, shuffle off to your nearest VAG main dealer's parts department and buy a "bottle" (container) of G13 and just add enough in neat to reach the right level, then dismiss this issue.

The high and low level marks are there for a reason, if I were you I would get the level in your wifes car down to the recommended one, it's why it's called an expansion tank. If it's been that high from new you should have asked the dealer why it wasn't spotted on pre-delivery checks.

Thanks all for your comments, I don't think I was loosing fluid, but was sure it had dropped a little over the last 5 months, from new, decided to open the expansion tank to see how much cover there was on the sensor, the system was cold, but as I released the filler cap there was a release of pressure and the level return to the original level, so there we are no coolant loss, just system pressure had cause the slightly lower level in the expansion tank.

 

Everything now set for Yeti's adventure to the west country.

my old fabia GLII used to do this, I noticed a few weeks after I got it that the coolant was just below the MIN mark, topped it up with correct coolant to halfway between MAX and MIN

 

a week later it was back to just below MIN topped it up again and the same happened, kept an eye on it and it never moved from just under MIN for the 2 1/2 years I owned it

 

for peace of mind get a 1 ltr premixed bottle of G12 and keep in boot,  keep an eye on the leveI but i suspect you will not need to top it up

 

for peace of mind get a 1 ltr premixed bottle of G12 and keep in boot,  keep an eye on the leveI but i suspect you will not need to top it up

Suspect I will get a bottle of G12 and put in the boot, with all the other spares, hi viz vests etc that I already carry around in the boot!

Washer fluid, oil, coolant, (small) battery booster pack, tyre compressor, assorted fuses, hi viz, first aid kit etc etc. Don't know about you, but my boot looks like it belongs to an AA van. 

Washer fluid, oil, coolant, (small) battery booster pack, tyre compressor, assorted fuses, hi viz, first aid kit etc etc. Don't know about you, but my boot looks like it belongs to an AA van.

You really get to see what you lug around when you come to change the car. The couple of minutes allocated to removing all the accumulated 'stuff' seems to take forever. Not that a single item could be left behind mind you.

You really get to see what you lug around when you come to change the car. The couple of minutes allocated to removing all the accumulated 'stuff' seems to take forever. Not that a single item could be left behind mind you.

 

I keep loads of work related paraphernalia all over the place. I can easily fill a decent size box with all of the gear I keep in my car - excluding the boot of course! It's really surprising how much stuff comes out of the car when its time to take it on holiday too. 

Washer fluid, oil, coolant, (small) battery booster pack, tyre compressor, assorted fuses, hi viz, first aid kit etc etc. Don't know about you, but my boot looks like it belongs to an AA van. 

what NO KITCHEN SINK for washing up after changing a wheel!!!!!!

what NO KITCHEN SINK for washing up after changing a wheel!!!!!!

There is usually some sort of cleaning stuff in the boot somewhere 

 

That list is just the tip of the iceberg. When I got my Superb I was distraught for the first week as the nearside boot cubbyhole was stuffed near full of Canton sub.