Has the coolant specification changed for the 2021 Fabia 3 range?

[hetty1]

    Hello,

 

           i saw that my coolant level had dropped slightly the other day. The actual drop in level didnt and doesnt concern me. It was at max when I bought the car in July last year from a main dealer and it is now between min and max, a bit over 2000 miles driven  so a very small drop in the level. I intend letting it drop to min before I add coolant and its the coolant itself that I am posting about.

 

            i have a one and a half litre container of VAG coolant concentrate, this is spec G13. I bought  this for topping up the expansion tank in my previous Fabia, a 17 plate.  I  usually added a bit neat then went for a drive to mix it, it  didnt need to add much at all,  I must still have well  over one litre left.  I did ask the dealership when I bought this current car from whether i could carry on using G13 and they said it was. When I looked at my handbook however it said my car needed G12 evo. Anyone can make a mistake       and that includes the dealership; I have emailed them just in case I can still use the G13 but I expect them to confirm that I cant.

 

         It  doesnt help that there is nothing written on the expansion tank to say what coolant needs to be used. My previous Fabia had G13 written on the tank and I am pretty sure my car before that, a Mark 2 Fabia also had the coolant to be used on the tank. Why this wasnt continued with later Mark 3's seems silly to me. I havent been able to find out for certain when the change in spec happened or w

 

               I will probably buy a ready mixed container to carry in the boot,  less bulky.  If anyone does know when the spec changed that would be good. Again, if anyone who has an earlier Fabia 3 and is interested in buying  the best part of my one and a half litre container and collecting IN PERSON, I live on the Wirral peninsula, I dont want much for it, five pounds would be fine.

 

        Thanks.

       

          Hetty 1.

[Warrior193]

Hello Hetty, my understanding is that G13 and G12 Evo are at least compatible in small quantities - I.e. top up.

I recall seeing some discussion of this in another part of this forum - particularly when the silicate bag is removed from the older type of coolant expansion chamber.

PS. your Fabia was most likely originally filled with G12 evo.

Edited 5 February, 2023 by Warrior193
extra comment

[AGFalco]

1 hour ago, hetty1 said:

I saw that my coolant level had dropped slightly the other day

In my experience the coolant level, if filled to max will drop to about half way between max and min and then stop.

 

Are you planning to keep this car now?

 

Thanks. AG Falco

[hetty1]

 AG Falco,

 

      Thanks for posting. I am honestly not sure whether I am going to keep the car or not. It has some good features like being quick off the mark and being able to climb hills easily and cruise easily at motorway speeds. Plus. a good spec like standard cruise control. Some not so good features include ( apart from depreciation. already discussed)  a feeling that the  Fabia range is nearing the end of its useful life and the GPS nor being great.  Neither of these last two are crucial though, Nothing really bad. I will keep monitoring the coolant and hope it does as you suggest and stop dropping but, again, thats not really crucial unless and until it becomes a really big issue and needs a new expansion tank or radiator or water pump. The last two would definitely tip me into changing the car but, as I say, not sure yet.

 

    Freedom, that would indeed be good if the G13 and the G12 evo are compatible in small quantities so can be used for topping up. I will post again when i hear back from the dealers service department. They havent always been quick to reply in the past  in which case I would contact the aftersales person who is usually very quick to reply.

[ApertureS]

Check this link

 

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10153586-9999.pdf

 

Coolant systems with G12evo adding G13 top up is possible but wont offer the same level of protection.

 

This is an offical document so a pretty good source. 

Edited 5 February, 2023 by ApertureS

[Warrior193]

Hello Hetty, I did a little research - G12, G12+, G12++ and G12 evo are apparently all compatible with G13 - but with reduced corrosion protection. I believe this means shorter intervals between coolant changes. 

 I believe that removal of the 'Mit Silicate' bag in the coolant expansion tank also requires more frequent coolant changes.  

[rum4mo]

I'd just take the money hit and buy a bottle of premixed G12evo from any VW Group dealership, as said it will be what has been loaded into that car at the factory.

 

Most people that mix G13 and G12evo will just be people with G13 in their from factory and now needing to top it up.

 

Having a coolant level midway between Max and Min when cold is okay, on some cars filling the Max when cold will end up with some coolant being discharged from the reservoir when the coolant has expanded when hot.

 

I don't think that G13 will be known as the best coolant additive ever produced.

[AGFalco]

3 hours ago, hetty1 said:

water pump

Don't forget that you have two water pumps. 🙂

 

 

3 hours ago, hetty1 said:

GPS

What is it about the GPS that is not great?

 

Thanks. AG Falco

 

[hetty1]

 AG Falco,

 The images are not very clearly defined and are sometimes difficult to read clearly and hard to form a whole picture. I also  have occasionaL problems with the voice function.  It sometimes all works perfectly then you get a gremlin. This is the first vehicle I have owned that has built in  GPS and my inexperience has not  helped  to be fair. i am fine with reading a map so GPS gremlins havent been the end of the world for me. Having said that, the  GPS  is still a nice thing to have even if I do use it more as a backup than a primary tool.

 

           To all the other posters, thanks very much. I know quite a bit  more now than I did when  I started this thread and that can only be good. i will wait a while and see what happens to the level then, if need be, I will buy a small container of G12 evo in ready mixed form for topping up. I do not expect  the response from the dealership service dept to  say that they are fully compatible, that would be very odd when the handbook is so clear about sticking only to the G12 evo but you never know of course and  i will certainly read their response with great care.

[AGFalco]

20 hours ago, hetty1 said:

This is the first vehicle I have owned that has built in  GPS

Is the Android Auto / Apple Car Play any better on the display or is it the resolution of your display?

 

Thanks. AG Falco

 

 

 

[hetty1]

 Hello AG Falco,

                      The resolution. I will mention it to the dealer when it goes in for  servicing to get it looked at under warranty but I  am not optimistic. I think there have been threads on this forum that have said much the same thing about  the GPS on the Fabia 3.   Having said that i am still on a learning curve about GPS . I may be in the minority of people who actually like to read a map in printed form. By the same token  i prefer reading a physical book with binding, a dust cover, tooling etc  etc.     I suppose I am saying  that GPS difficulties on a car do not cause me as much concern as someone else and it was only ever a marginal minus.  The thing that is a bigger minus is my comment about the Fabia being old fashioned/outdated. I test drove a Kamiq on the same day as I drove the Fabia and the latter just seemed to be outdated by comparison. It has, after all, been around for twenty three years now and the Kamiq for only three so probably not surprising. . On balance the pros outweigh the cons and I am leaning towards keeping the car.

 

         Reverting to my original post, I havent heard back from the service department yet which isnt good but I am hoping( against hope?) that this means I will get a fully considered response. 

 

                Thanks.

 

                

 

 

                 i

[Warrior193]

20 hours ago, hetty1 said:

 Hello AG Falco,

                      The resolution. I will mention it to the dealer when it goes in for  servicing to get it looked at under warranty but I  am not optimistic. I think there have been threads on this forum that have said much the same thing about  the GPS on the Fabia 3.   Having said that i am still on a learning curve about GPS . I may be in the minority of people who actually like to read a map in printed form. By the same token  i prefer reading a physical book with binding, a dust cover, tooling etc  etc.     I suppose I am saying  that GPS difficulties on a car do not cause me as much concern as someone else and it was only ever a marginal minus.  The thing that is a bigger minus is my comment about the Fabia being old fashioned/outdated. I test drove a Kamiq on the same day as I drove the Fabia and the latter just seemed to be outdated by comparison. It has, after all, been around for twenty three years now and the Kamiq for only three so probably not surprising. . On balance the pros outweigh the cons and I am leaning towards keeping the car.

 

         Reverting to my original post, I havent heard back from the service department yet which isnt good but I am hoping( against hope?) that this means I will get a fully considered response. 

 

                Thanks.

 

                

 

 

                 i

🤣

[rum4mo]

To me, sort of strange logic, the Fabia might have been around for 23 years, but "Fabia" is only a car model name that Skoda has carried forward for their offering in this segment of the car world, okay where possible car makers evolve as little as possible unless they need to, but I've never thought that my wife's 2015 VW Polo is just "same old" because the Polo (name) has been around for some serious number of years - thinking that way is illogical.

 

I'd not be holding your breath waiting for a dealer's service people to get to you on the G13/G12evo question, why would they give you "the nod" to use an older product that what is currently fitted into your car - that decision must only be your's to make, and I've already offered my advice on that.

[hetty1]

 Rum4mo, you are absolutely right, it is my decision and I have decided to let the level drop to min or just above then buy some G12 evo .  I did get a response from aftersales to say the G13 should not be used. I still think the Fabia looks dated compared with other cars, especially the interior. You do not, of course, have to agree with me. I do not think logic plays any part in such  things, it is always going to be subjective  and we can agree to disagree on it.

 

           Thanks.

 

[Ootohere]

They might look dated but then they are a car you can drive while wearing a bowler or top hat in and kind of easy in and out without it being a Crossover or Mini SUV look-a-like. 

Function over style suits plenty of owners.

The Mk2 Fabia was at one time Skoda UK's best selling model. 

[hetty1]

George,

 

             I actually  think Fabias have a lot going for them.  They are not bad on interior space and have got some good features and I still like driving mine. You have a fair point; many do prefer function over style.  Some other makes are more airy and have better visibility with fewer blind spots and these things do matter to me. I am not saying you are wrong, it all depends on what you want from a car and what you can  expect from a car.

 

          My original post on coolant specification has run its course in my opinion. I am grateful to all those who posted and the various responses have definitely  helped me.   

 

              Thanks again for all your contributions.

[Hassan_skoda]

I have 2017 Fabia MK3. The coolant has not been changed yet. When do you replace the coolant? 

[nta16]

20 hours ago, Hassan_skoda said:

I have 2017 Fabia MK3. The coolant has not been changed yet. When do you replace the coolant? 

They say it's "lifetime" what that means is up to you, who or what's lifetime you can decide.  The premixed G12evo 5 litre plastic refill can has on it "Can be used up to five years from production date in the closed, original container.  See below" then the date of course.  This doesn't mean it only has a 5 year use life but just stated storage and use restrictions (which many would argue are unnecessary I would imagine from my previous experience of such things).

 

The numbering system doesn't look logical but I can imagine reasons to it, G11, G12, G12+, G12++, G13 and then .  .  .  G12evo.  Personally I don't regard the German systems and engineering quality in such elated regard as many here and particularly dislike their engine oil numbers (502, 504, etc.) but if you bought the car then you have literally bought into their systems to a great extent already.

 

I've already changed the coolant in my wife's 2015 Fabia, a while back but that's just me.  This is one step away from being as straightforward as many think it is to fully change the coolant but I won't go into that as my troll (gawd bless his cotton socks) will probably post to say I'm talking rubbish again so I leave it you and others to do the research about this and decide for yourself (same for car batteries in modern cars, particularly with stop/start).

 

I will suggest, just a suggestion, no more than that, that you change the coolant at 10 years and hope you are shot of the car before then - but you and others may totally disagree with me about both (and anything I've put above).  🙂

 

Edited Sunday at 14:55 by nta16
typos

[Warrior193]

The corrosion inhibiters included in the coolant do have a finite life, I think VAG advises coolant change at 5 years.

[rum4mo]

1 hour ago, Warrior193 said:

The corrosion inhibiters included in the coolant do have a finite life, I think VAG advises coolant change at 5 years.

 

With the way that car manufacturers try to upsell items, I would have thought that replacing the coolant would appear on service schedules - especially now that timing belts last longer than the 5 years and the water pumps on lots of engines have stopped carrying the load of the camshaft drive.

 

Going by what I've noticed with my wife's 2015 Polo 1.2TSI - so a car that didn't get fitted with a silicate pouch, 8 years/48miles seems to be as long as I should leave the factory fitted coolant in that car - so a job for this year for me!

[nta16]

3 hours ago, Warrior193 said:

The corrosion inhibiters included in the coolant do have a finite life, I think VAG advises coolant change at 5 years.

Totally agree about finite life of additives in coolant and oil - but I've not seen anything from VW saying Fabia Mk3 change of coolant at 5 years - that's not to say there might not be any just that I haven't seen them, I have seen the "for life" bit though for the coolant (and oils in other vehicles and circumstances) but that's not to say I believe it.

 

I think I changed the coolant in my wife's 2015 Fabia at 5, 6 or 7 years but can't remember, I must have been in a rare good mood with the car when I eventually done it, I think I had the coolant sitting around for about a year from buying it.

 

[Ootohere]

Adding the correct Coolant to top up & be sure the Coolant has the correct strength / ration for Antifreeze Protection, & as a Summer Coolant & Rust Inhibitor is not an issue.

 

It is adding just any old H2O  that is an issue and introduces nasty stuff into your engines journals and coolant system.

(So that opens the whole  H2O  / Tap / Bottled,  hard or soft, minerals & the 'de-mineralized water' or 'distilled water' discussion.) 

 

Use the correct water....