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  1. Coolant warning light 
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    Hi all. So the coolant warning light came on during the week when I was away so the wife took it to Audi who put it up on the ramps and confirmed no leaks and also said it didn’t need topped up. Upon checking it this morning I see the coolant level in the expansion tank is way below the minimum! So either Audi have missed a leak OR they royally ballsed up by not properly checking the coolant level. Anyone else had similar issues?

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    D39ADD8E-961B-48BE-B3BA-CF407C42158B.jpgAFBB49F4-348B-4648-9233-0C42EE804D62.jpg
    MY17 SQ7, Sepang Blue, 22s, and lots of toys.
    MY16 Passat Bluemotion GT, Reflex Silver, 19s, only a few toys.
     
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  2. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    Depending on how many days you were away, how many since Audi checked the level, and where the level was when you last checked it, it could have been above the minimum when Audi checked it.

    However, regardless of who shot John, you have a coolant leak which should be found and repaired. Maybe for a start you could top up the level to max and keep a close watch on it, to find out how fast it is leaking.
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  3. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    Thanks. It was topped up at Audi on Friday who again confirmed no leaks during a quick inspection but suggested I book the car in so they can have a proper look, it's going in this coming Friday.

    The level in the coolant expansion tank has been reducing slowly since Friday, but there have been no puddles of fluid collecting under the car, and the warning light hasn't come back on. My thinking is that there may be no leak, and the change in fluid level is down to thermal expansion / contraction although I'm not convinced by this. I am also thinking that there may indeed be a leak that only happens when the vehicle is in motion, which would explain there not being any puddles of fluid under the car? One other thought I had was that the coolant may somehow be leaking internally into the lubrication system via a faulty cylinder head gasket - I'm way out of my sphere of knowledge on that one so I may be talking garbage but in any case it should hopefully be sorted on Friday.

    Thanks
    Scott
    MY17 SQ7, Sepang Blue, 22s, and lots of toys.
    MY16 Passat Bluemotion GT, Reflex Silver, 19s, only a few toys.
     
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  4. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    If the leak is small, the coolant will evaporate in the engine bay due to the heat, thus no puddle.

    I had on my prior car (Discovery 3) small leak on the water pump. I did not have any puddle, but after inspecting the water pump one could see that there was a leak and deposit from the coolant on the water pump built up.
     
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  5. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    OK, so an update.

    Audi have now had the car since Monday last week to try to find the source of the coolant leak. This is the third time they have had the car to investigate the problem, but the first time they've had it in for more than a day. They did all the pressure tests and it was all fine, so Audi technical gave them a list of more in-depth checks to do BUT not until the dealership could confirm that the coolant level was dropping as I said it was. They did this by driving it until the engine was up to full operating temperature then immediately putting pressure on the system for an extended period of time - the coolant level did indeed drop. They said it was possible the coolant was going "down the exhaust" which made the alarm bells go off, they also mentioned the EGR cooler. I told them that the car has been idling quite rough and vibrating more than normal on start-up about 50% of the time since the car was last in - I am thinking the cylinder head gasket has gone but there is not white smoke and the oil isn't milky as far as I can see, but I don't really know what I'm looking for to be honest. Most people I have spoken to who know way more than me about cars reckon it definitely the cylinder head gasket.

    I'd rally appreciate the benefit of anyone's experience on this one. Naturally it will all be fixed under warranty, but I am bracing myself for a long wait and also reduced confidence in the car. They have given me an A6 as a courtesy car - a fine car indeed but not an SQ7, I have told them if the car is going to be in past the end of this week, I expect one of the SQ7s from their forecourt (hope none of you think that's out of order - I don't think I'm "better" than an A6 by any means, I just want like for like if they need to keep the car for an extended period of time). I'm also starting to think about the absolute worst case scenario of having to go through the nightmare of rejecting the car (not sure I can do this as the car is older than six months) - I am sure, and I really hope, it will not come to that.

    Have also told them I expect a sleigh-full of Audi goodies as small recompense for my inconvenience.

    Season's greetings to all.

    Cheers
    Scott
    MY17 SQ7, Sepang Blue, 22s, and lots of toys.
    MY16 Passat Bluemotion GT, Reflex Silver, 19s, only a few toys.
     
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  6. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gyro View Post
    OK, so an update.

    Audi have now had the car since Monday last week to try to find the source of the coolant leak. This is the third time they have had the car to investigate the problem, but the first time they've had it in for more than a day. They did all the pressure tests and it was all fine, so Audi technical gave them a list of more in-depth checks to do BUT not until the dealership could confirm that the coolant level was dropping as I said it was. They did this by driving it until the engine was up to full operating temperature then immediately putting pressure on the system for an extended period of time - the coolant level did indeed drop. They said it was possible the coolant was going "down the exhaust" which made the alarm bells go off, they also mentioned the EGR cooler. I told them that the car has been idling quite rough and vibrating more than normal on start-up about 50% of the time since the car was last in - I am thinking the cylinder head gasket has gone but there is not white smoke and the oil isn't milky as far as I can see, but I don't really know what I'm looking for to be honest. Most people I have spoken to who know way more than me about cars reckon it definitely the cylinder head gasket.

    I'd rally appreciate the benefit of anyone's experience on this one. Naturally it will all be fixed under warranty, but I am bracing myself for a long wait and also reduced confidence in the car. They have given me an A6 as a courtesy car - a fine car indeed but not an SQ7, I have told them if the car is going to be in past the end of this week, I expect one of the SQ7s from their forecourt (hope none of you think that's out of order - I don't think I'm "better" than an A6 by any means, I just want like for like if they need to keep the car for an extended period of time). I'm also starting to think about the absolute worst case scenario of having to go through the nightmare of rejecting the car (not sure I can do this as the car is older than six months) - I am sure, and I really hope, it will not come to that.

    Have also told them I expect a sleigh-full of Audi goodies as small recompense for my inconvenience.

    Season's greetings to all.

    Cheers
    Scott
    Jeez Scott just catching up after a while and I hope it’s all sorted pretty sharpishly and hoping that it isn’t as bad as feared.

    No harm in asking for another SQ to be fair, I know when my original Q went in I had several Qs as courtesy cars and then an A6.

    Regarding rejection (if it comes to that) - how old is the car now and how old was it when you first reported the problem?

    Definitely becomes a little harder after 6 months and then the onus becomes on you to prove the issue was there from new. Anyway hopefully it doesn’t come to that and all is fixed and you can get back to enjoying the car
     
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  7. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    Cheers Nemo, they have given me Q7 Vorsprung - all in all a pretty decent result given that they will likely need the hold onto the car until well into the new year. Trouble is, it is in Navarra blue with the black pack and running boards, all three of which I now want on my own car!

    Anyway, the problem has been traced to a leak in the "map-controlled engine cooling system thermostat housing". In a meeting with the service manager and master tech they had checked every conceivable potential cause and are "90% sure" they have nailed it. This would cause the slow coolant leak and the engine running lumpy on start-up idle apparently. Not sure I like it being less that 100% certain but will go with it. The part is on back order from Germany and they can't tell me a timescale other than "well into the new year". The car is perfectly driveable but I don't want to risk roasting the engine if I take it back until the part arrives, as no doubt the warranty would be invalidated. The upshot it's sitting at Edinburgh Audi gathering dust.

    This is the fourth time the car has been in with the same issue and only now have they got to the bottom of it - if this current fix doesn't solve the problem I will have lost some confidence in the car hence the "rejection" thoughts coming into my head, but probably only because I'm a "glass half empty" sort of person when it comes to things like this. I really hope it doesn't come this and in any case the car is 14 months old so probably have limited options.

    It's worth adding that the master tech told me from all the digging he's done, this is the first problem of this kind they've had with the new V8 diesel in the SQ7 - it would have to be me!
    MY17 SQ7, Sepang Blue, 22s, and lots of toys.
    MY16 Passat Bluemotion GT, Reflex Silver, 19s, only a few toys.
     
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  8. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    So an update...Audi still have the car, that's exactly six weeks now. The initial thoughts above were not correct, it was in fact the EGR cooler that was gone. Waiting on parts (they were on "back order") over Xmas and New Year probably cost three weeks alone. Anyway, the battery has been disconnected from the car for weeks which means the backup battery in the tracker has gone flat! Fair play to Audi though as they have agreed to pay for the replacement to be fitted at their cost (£159) - the repairs should be completed this week and the tracker installer is booked in to do the battery replacement at Audi on Friday.

    I've been dealing directly with the service manager at Edinburgh Audi - I think he is desperate for it to be sorted (sorted properly!) as I have been a continual, massive, annoying pain in his a**e for six weeks now.

    I decided to keep my powder dry in relation to asking for freebies for my inconvenience...any suggestions from experience on how best to approach this?
    MY17 SQ7, Sepang Blue, 22s, and lots of toys.
    MY16 Passat Bluemotion GT, Reflex Silver, 19s, only a few toys.
     
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  9. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gyro View Post
    So an update...Audi still have the car, that's exactly six weeks now. The initial thoughts above were not correct, it was in fact the EGR cooler that was gone. Waiting on parts (they were on "back order") over Xmas and New Year probably cost three weeks alone. Anyway, the battery has been disconnected from the car for weeks which means the backup battery in the tracker has gone flat! Fair play to Audi though as they have agreed to pay for the replacement to be fitted at their cost (£159) - the repairs should be completed this week and the tracker installer is booked in to do the battery replacement at Audi on Friday.

    I've been dealing directly with the service manager at Edinburgh Audi - I think he is desperate for it to be sorted (sorted properly!) as I have been a continual, massive, annoying pain in his a**e for six weeks now.

    I decided to keep my powder dry in relation to asking for freebies for my inconvenience...any suggestions from experience on how best to approach this?
    Gyro good news on the horizon there but can’t believe how long it’s taken...

    Will drop you a PM
     
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  10. Re: Coolant warning light 
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    Hope it’s all sorted soon once and for all. What a nightmare ...
    Former Q7 owner
     
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