Hi all,

 

First time poster, long time reader!

 

Bought a 2017 1.4Tsi Superb earlier this year after reading a lot of the positives on Briskoda forums. Done 6000 miles in it over the last 4 months (warranty just expired 😉) and loved it. However, yesterday on a motorway drive, the engine coolant light came on - temp gauge sat steady at 90deg as always, so I drove home and checked the resevoir to find it near empty.  I've topped up with the G12 ready mix today, but on re-starting the car, got a gurgling noise and it took a while to get to temp on a drive around.

 

Just been out now and its cool, but reservoir back to empty and a large pool of coolant below the offside front of bonnet. Got it booked in for a pressure test at local garage early next week (VAG specialist in my area has a 3 week wait for an appointment!!) but just wondering if anyone has thoughts/ advice before I take it to local garage?  Suspected dreaded water pump, or maybe something else?

 

Hoping its nothing too serious as so far car has been wonderful - everything I expected after reading the forums!

Not sure anyone is going to be able to advise you. It could be a simple hose failure or the pump. The pumps on the petrol engines are not known for failing as frequently as those on the diesels. The video below shows where to look.

 

Keep us posted.

 

 

Edited 5 November, 20214 yr by Steviedakota

If it helps, whilst the top end of the 1.4 engine bay is crammed, it's quite open underneath. If you can safely raise the front and get the under tray off, you should hopefully be able to spot where its coming from

Edited 6 November, 20214 yr by Patent

How bizarre, +1 for a coolant leak. I've had my Superb 1.4 TSI 2 days and I came out to a small puddle of coolant in the same place this morning. I'd be very interested in the outcome!

 

Good luck,

 

James.

20 hours ago, SuperbJB said:

How bizarre, +1 for a coolant leak. I've had my Superb 1.4 TSI 2 days and I came out to a small puddle of coolant in the same place this morning. I'd be very interested in the outcome!

 

Good luck,

 

James.

Did you have a look to see where it's coming from?

If it is leaking from the water pump it should be very easy to see, mounted high enough on the engine and on the N/S.

2 hours ago, Steviedakota said:

If it is leaking from the water pump it should be very easy to see, mounted high enough on the engine and on the N/S.

I thought the pump was on the O/S on the TSI. 

 

On 06/11/2021 at 19:54, SuperbJB said:

How bizarre, +1 for a coolant leak. I've had my Superb 1.4 TSI 2 days and I came out to a small puddle of coolant in the same place this morning. I'd be very interested in the outcome!

 

Good luck,

 

James.

 

Interesting! Well for me it is dropping as soon as it gets to pressure - I top up and it will hold steady, then leak like a drain as soon as at pressure (lost over a litre in a few days).

Leak on mine is coming on the offside level with wheel arch. Its so much that I can't think it would be the water pump, unless its half fallen off! However, have it booked it at local garage for a pressure test tomorrow morning, so I guess we will see.

 

@Patent that does help. If it wasn't in tomorrow I would have had a look tonight, but as it is I guess I will find the answer. Good knowledge though as to me, as you say, it looks so crammed that I've struggled to pick out where its coming from - I only see the pool on the floor!

The under tray is quite big and may be holding a lot of coolant so be careful when you drop it!

11 hours ago, Patent said:

The under tray is quite big and may be holding a lot of coolant so be careful when you drop it!

That's the thing, a lot of coolant would have leaked into the tray before being spotted. 

The pump is the same as the 1.2 TSI I believe, I found it to be more documented on the VW forums under the 1.2 TSI.

I had to do this job a few weeks back on my partners car, the original part failed just after 14,000 miles!
The coolant was running onto the gearbox, then down onto the undertray, which then run in either direction.

 

It isn't a particularly hard job, nor is the part expensive so the bill shouldn't be too bad.

 

Update on this is that it is indeed the water pump. Main dealer has a 3 week wait, so into a local VAG specialist - total cost £360 for pump and drive belt. I won't have timing belt done at this stage - 3.5 yrs old and 36k seems too early and given its independent from the water pump in the petrol model, so will just bide my time on that one. 

 

Next comes the battle/ complaint to Skoda customer service at how a water pump can fail at this mileage. I know its common, but still! Lets see what their response is...

 

Interested @MATT0693that your partners failed at 14k. I've seen other horror stories on the forums, but they seem mostly from diesels, rather than the petrol counterparts. Anyone else have an early water pump failure in a Tsi?