Coolant warning light

[rushhour]

I have had the coolant temp/level warning light (and 3 beeps) come on a few times on my car lately. Both times I stopped straight away and checked the coolant level - both times it was between the min and max marks. I topped it up a little (maybe 250-500ml) each time and this seemed to cure the problem. On one occasion I just stopped, opened the cap and checked the level and then put the cap back on and this also cured the problem.

The engine temperature gauge was fine - sitting at 90 degrees as usual.

Is the coolant level warning sensor so fussy that the coolant must always sit at the max mark?

Also - I am having a warm starting issue with the car at the moment. It takes 3-4 turns before it fires when warm. Could this and the coolant warning light be caused by a dodgy temperature sensor?

[sherlocks VRS]

as a skoda tec we reccomend keeping your water level on the uppermost level sometimes the coolent level sensor can be sensitive, make sure you havent got a leak somewhere though, water pumps, radiators, coolent housing etc are known to give trouble. hope this helps.

[dstev2000]

The low coolant level warning is via the level sensor in the expansion tank. There are 2 metal 'prongs' that dip into the coolant, my low coolant light doesn't go off until the level is almost at the very bottom of the tank.

When you open the lid, the pressure is released which forces the water level up seemingly curing the problem.

My PD140 has a tiny leak that hasnt been traced in 2 years, my money is on the EGR cooler. I get huuuge plumes of condensation from the exhaust on cold days after startup.

[rushhour]

I'll have to check the level tomorrow morning before I start it and we'll go from there.

[Guest Fabia 12v]

As said previously... EGR coolers are a common one, no visable leaks from the car, but a very slow coolant loss over time

[Mohamed Nassar]

hello guys

what do you mean by EGR cooler

and i am suffering from the same problem with my new facelift car , i cant find any leakage but water level is not stable.

[dstev2000]

The EGR cooler reduces the temperature of the exhaust gases that are diverted from the rear of the engine to the EGR valve which is usually at the front on the 2.0TDI. I have had a gradual loss of coolant for about 2 years now and its never been traced, I just top with G12 coolant every now and again.

When the coolant leaks out into the EGR cooler it is very difficult to detect. I notice excessive condensation plumes from the rear of the car when driving along on very cold mornings as the engine is warming up.

Its worth checking elsewhere under the bonnet, there is a belly pan under the engine that will hide any dripping coolant from the engine.

[rushhour]

I put 500ml of water in this morning and after 100/120 miles today it took another 500ml.

Really starting to annoy me now as I've had the car on the road for less than a week and it's needed the water topped up every evening.

I do at least 100 miles a day for work and I need a car I can rely on. There doesn't appear to be any water leaking from the engine when it's running.

I'm impressed with the car but the turbo and now the water leak really don't inspire much confidence to drive it for long distances.

[Keith Lard]

Water pump?

[durhamfisher]

I put 500ml of water in this morning and after 100/120 miles today it took another 500ml.

Really starting to annoy me now as I've had the car on the road for less than a week and it's needed the water topped up every evening.

I do at least 100 miles a day for work and I need a car I can rely on. There doesn't appear to be any water leaking from the engine when it's running.

I'm impressed with the car but the turbo and now the water leak really don't inspire much confidence to drive it for long distances.

500ml of water after 120 miles is pretty bad, I'd be booking it into a garage asap if I was you. You would see some water drips when standing at that rate of loss if it was an external leak.

I once had a car that was using water at that rate with no drips, turned out it was the was the cylinder head gasket.

[WaveyDaveyGravy]

I had a problem with the prongs on my Seat. I was getting the warning on and off alot, with good levels and no leakages. Turns out it's a fairly common problem, the prongs can get corroded. Scraped them with a screwdriver to remove the coating and it cured it. Worth a try as it's free and easy.

[rushhour]

There's no sign of a head gasket failure (creamy oil etc) yet.

I think it's time to trade this heap in for something else.

[dstev2000]

Porous cylinder heads are a known issue on the PD140 as is the aforementioned EGR cooler.

Its a shame when a relatively small and niggly fault ruins what is otherwise a very good car, I am having the same feelings about my L&K at the moment which is a great pity. I really have no confidence in the engine unlike the PD130 which pounded on with no problems - ever!

[rushhour]

Where would the water disappear to inside the EGR cooler? How can I test it to see if that's where the water is going?

[rushhour]

Been reading this tonight...

Poll: PD EGR Problems After Recall - Page 5 - TDIClub Forums

It sounds like this EGR cooler could be the cause of most of my problems. The turbo noises the guys complain about on that thread are very similar to what I'm experiencing.

Will have to get the car on the ramps at the weekend and get a look at that thing.

[dstev2000]

Its round the back of the engine block.

If anything, the coolant will leak into the exhaust gas side of the cooler, like I say I notice seriously large plumes of condensatioin when accelerating while the engine is still cold - to the point where you can't really see what is behind you :eek:

Its number 9 on this exploded diagram

[rushhour]

Today it lost 500ml in about 40 miles but I drive it very hard when it warms up - you have to be gentle when it's cold. I don't really notice anything out of the ordinary when it's cold as I have to take it gently to avoid damaging the turbo further.

[dstev2000]

A leaking EGR cooler can be a contributing factor to a duff turbo, if it was leaking half a litre though the cooler I would expect it to do some damage to the turbo and/or the EGR valve itself.

I think the leak is elsewhere, possibly the water pump which is hidden behind the cambelt covers, have a check for any pinholes in the radiator from stone chips. It might be leaking when the system is hot and under pressure.

I'm not sure if there are any sealants you can safely try in the system or whether you can add a UV dye or similar to help spot the leak, thats one reason why G12 coolant is bright pink.

[4motion]

I’ve just had a coolant leak fixed on my vRS TDi after 2 years . The problem turned out to be a porous cylinder head. It started like all the rest with weekly top-ups, but when I noticed beads of condensation on the dipstick during an oil level check and oily residue in the expansion tank, I knew there was a big problem. The garage found the problem when one of the cylinders had a lower compression to the others. Now after a new cylinder head, the fault is gone. I don’t know how much this would have cost if it hadn’t been under warranty.

[rushhour]

I just checked my oil level today and went to top it up - sludge/gunk under the filler cap :-(

Looks like it is a head gasket afterall. It's booked in for next Monday to get looked at.