My service contract has ended, vehicle is low/average mileage car, can I renew with local dealer? Any advice appreciated. Also I’m getting a bit paranoid about silica bag posts advising removal, but am unclear whether to do this?

Had my 2018 Executive for 11 months now (June 2022) Bought from and booked in to main dealer for service/MOT end of the May. Also getting a bit concerned about Silica bag,, considering getting them to change header tank when service is getting done. Thinking about a service plan as it includes warranty and recovery. But although my dealer seems ok, and sorted out the only problem I had with it under the warranty, there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm from forum members for main dealers.

7 hours ago, BillyParker said:

considering getting them to change header tank when service is getting done

 

Varying stories on the forum about how easy / difficult it is to remove the bag. Mine came out easily enough in about a minute with a pair of long tweezers. Saves the cost of a new header tank.

 

The bag is made of pretty heavy-duty plastic mesh. Mine is in perfect condition after 150k miles, so can't understand how they would ever split open. I guess some bags are better made than others.

 

I'm tempted to re-install until I get the cooling system flushed out when I'll probably upgrade to the G12 evo coolant and ditch the bag entirely.

Different bags, different header tanks, different TDI's and different manufacturing line at different periods in time. 

Different difficulties and high expense to those that sadly had failures. 

Thanks for comments. I've decided to get them to take thwe bag out or replace the whole header tank, when its in for service at the end of the month. Incidentally, on Wed I travelled from Somerset to Dundee for a funeral, and came back today, for a total of around 1000 miles. The car never missed a beat. And the ACC is incredible. Hit a few patches of congestion and it brought me to a halt when necessary and continued again when we started moving.

On 03/05/2023 at 12:41, toot said:

Different bags, different header tanks, different TDI's and different manufacturing line at different periods in time. 

Different difficulties and high expense to those that sadly had failures. 

I went to dealers this morning to get them to add change of header tank to tasks to do with the service. They told me all they can do is take the original header tank out and replace it with a new header tank, COMPLETE WITH SILICON BAG! I queried this and they say they can only fit what was on the car originally. I says so ok, can I buy a header tank and fit it myself, and again yes but the new header tank will have a silicon bag. Doesn't make sense. Anyone know the email address for SKODA UK, and I'll contact them direct

Edited 9 May, 20233 yr by BillyParker
added request for email

Can you see the bag when you open the header tank?

Look it up in the search function. There’s a pic somewhere on here giving the part number of the expansion bottle you need without the silica bag. I replaced mine not long after getting the car with a genuine VAG non silica bottle. 

2 hours ago, Gammyleg said:

Can you see the bag when you open the header tank?

Its the same as this, inside the coolant return pipe. Can't get into it because of the bend in the pipe. This may be a later model and if it bursts in the pipe it may not get washed into the system.

I got a bag-free replacement tank posted out to me by Autohaus in Edinburgh, for fitting by my local independent, two and a half years ago. The part only cost £25 + VAT, so no big deal.

7 hours ago, BillyParker said:

can I buy a header tank and fit it myself, and again yes but the new header tank will have a silicon bag.

How about this one https://www.theskodashop.co.uk/products/coolant-reservoir-tank

SUCCESS! Went to dealer in Weston super Mare today and spoke about bag and asked if they could get me a replacement tank. Again they initially said no it would have to be the same as originally fitted. I said I had heard that there was an updated tank, so he took VRN and went off to check. Away for about 10 mins, and then came back and said "Yes you are correct?" There was an updated tank in 2019 and again in 2020, and now they do not have the bag. So i have ordered one @ £37.80 and will fit myself. (After checking there is definitly no bag)

Okeay picked up header tank today. Saw video on youtube showing it being fitted. Half hour job, but probably two hours for me. Attached pictures of tank, number on tank and number on picking slip. Don'tknow what one is the actual part number. Probably do it over the weekend.

Address for youtube vid

 

Fitted header tank this morning, only took me 35 minutes. Peace of mind now.