Low coolant question

[bigman1976]

My Superb flashed up a warning for low coolant this morning on my commute. I have let the engine cool and the level is below minimum on the tank. 
 

I have 2 questions - firstly, how far should I drive with low coolant (temperatures were fine this morning) and secondly, should I top up with water in the short term until I can get coolant (there are no motor factors for miles from here!)?

 

My drive home is 20 miles, mostly motorway. 
 

Thanks!

[Patent]

Top it up with water to minimum, then fill to max with stuff at the correct concentration. 

 

Personally I wouldn't worry as long as you can see fluid in the bottle, but it's not my car!

[Shugmo]

Agree with above. Normal water is better than no water.

Top up, drive home, then draw a little off and put concentrated coolant in.

 

Mine needing topping up in the summer and the level has remained ok ever since.

[SurreyJohn]

19 minutes ago, Patent said:

Top it up with water to minimum, then fill to max with stuff at the correct concentration. 

 

Personally I wouldn't worry as long as you can see fluid in the bottle, but it's not my car!

I would suggest you use stronger concentration for top off, so the quantity including the plain water is about correct concentration.

 

Then check it in few days time, to see if level has gone down (might be airlock, but might be leaking), if keeps going down then leaking.

 

 

[KenONeill]

1 hour ago, bigman1976 said:

should I top up with water in the short term

As others sort of say:-

1. Top with known quantity of water to reservoir minimum (borrow a measuring jug out your kitchen if you have to).
2. Now fill with overstrength OAT to somewhere near maximum.

[ApertureS]

Coolant is a 50% water mix with 50% additives such as anti freeze and corrosion inhibitors. Going anywhere from 40-60% is not going to be the end of the world and putting straight water in there is fine in the short term as long as not in the negative degrees yet.

 

Chances are your electronic water pump and thermostat combo is leaking. Very common

[walterhein]

On 20/09/2021 at 17:18, ApertureS said:

Coolant is a 50% water mix with 50% additives such as anti freeze and corrosion inhibitors. Going anywhere from 40-60% is not going to be the end of the world and putting straight water in there is fine in the short term as long as not in the negative degrees yet.

 

Chances are your electronic water pump and thermostat combo is leaking. Very common

Hi, I am driving with a slow leak since July2019 and 17.000 miles. The main water pump and cam belt were changed in March2019 and 5000 miles previous, because of a slow leak!!! Nevertheless, the electronic water pump you are mentioning, would that be the one for the DSG and called V178 Secondary Water Pump? Thanks in advance for a reply!

 

Regards, walterhein

[AndyCr15]

Can I please piggy back on the back of this thread.  I started my car a couple of days ago and the warning came on for low coolant.  I started for the return journey and it didn't come on...  I think the difference being, the first time I was on a slope.

 

Anyway, I searched Amazon for G13 Coolant, which has just come and I realise it's actually G30.  Great.  Does this particularly matter?

 

I should also probably just go and have a look at the coolant level... but thought I'd ask if I should just use this G30 if it was low, or try and send it back and get G13?

 

Thanks!

[KenONeill]

1 hour ago, AndyCr15 said:

searched Amazon for G13 Coolant, which has just come and I realise it's actually G30.

G30 is glycol based so yes. Do not put it in an engine with an OAT coolant (eg G13).

Edited 23 March, 2022 by KenONeill

[AndyCr15]

Sorry, I'm a little confused.  It's global yes, but I've got G13 in at the moment I assume, so no?

[walterhein]

Slow Coolant Loss!

 

At long last the slow coolant loss of my Superb II appears to have been cured!

On 8th June 22 the EGR has been replaced and ever since and 2000 miles later the coolant loss has stopped!

What a reliev!

Have a good summer and drive SKODA, don't fly!