Coolant Loss on MK4 150 GTI (Diesel)

**Muzzy GTI** · 14-11-2007,11:55 PM

Hey

Can anyone help me, ive only just bought this car and i seem to be losing coolant water, yesterday the coolant light came on and i topped it up, it is starting to decrease again : (

Is this a common problem? I have looked under the oil filler cap i see a slight browny sludgy oil mixed residue? I have took the bottom cover off and i cant observe any leaks at the bottom and have had it pressure tested but nothing revealed. I hope it is NOT the head gasket? It is not overheating the temp. sticks to 90 on motorway. Any advice to try and diagnose would be appreciated. I have a 28 day warranty with the car so need to find out pretty quick, otherwise the car is lovely awesome torque!

The level does not fall rapidly i am losing about half a litre every ~ 200 miles and this only happens when i take the car on the motorway etc.

Please any help would be very much appreciated.
MK4 Golf GTI TDI 150 bhp 2003

Thanks
Muzzy

**v6dub** · 15-11-2007,09:10 AM

Take it back now and ask to have to work done or ask for your money back, if they start to be difficult inform them that you are going to see trading standards, trust me they will do the work for you very fast.

**ClancyJP** · 15-11-2007,11:26 AM

Sorry for the bad news, i had exactly the same thing!

Its your headgasket, i was advised on here that was the case and after several examinations over a period of 3 months or so it was the head.
I also had a crack in my oil filter housing which had to be replaced.

Good job you have your warranty!!! i had a warranty plan but still forked out a couple hundred for stuff the company argued! Hope you dont have that problem,

All the best

**Muzzy GTI** · 15-11-2007,01:16 PM

Thanks peeps. It looks like I am going to have to take the car back to where I bought from a trader. Since the coolant loss is gradual and not rapid I hope he recognises this. I hope he gets the work done from a reputable mechanic/ vw dealers? Can I impose he does this? I hope it doesn’t cost me any money!

How can one definitively tell whether it is the head gasket? any signs etc.?

Thanks

**bora(ing) nick** · 15-11-2007,03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Muzzy GTI

Thanks peeps. It looks like I am going to have to take the car back to where I bought from a trader. Since the coolant loss is gradual and not rapid I hope he recognises this. I hope he gets the work done from a reputable mechanic/ vw dealers? Can I impose he does this? I hope it doesn’t cost me any money!

How can one definitively tell whether it is the head gasket? any signs etc.?

Thanks

Dealer should take it back....

I know it's common for the radiators to crack and leak on the bottom corner where the hose connects.... It'd only be a hairline crack if it's not loosing loads of coolant.

just a possability....

Nick

**Muzzy GTI** · 21-11-2007,06:48 PM

Its me again I gave the car back to the trader i bought from he has had it now for a few days and says he could not find anything no leaks etc. I told him there is definitely coolant loss and he needs to sort it out, he said he would take another look. What are my rights? i bought the car from autotrader and the car was advertised as trade car? it has only been a few weeks? what are my options i dont want to be left with a car which is losing coolant.
Any suggestions?

thanks

**v6dub** · 22-11-2007,10:59 AM

What you can do is demand your money back, or you can ask for it to be taken to a VW dealership and get them to do the work, what people forget is that the trader does not pay to have the cars fixed, the trader has an insurance on the cars to cover them, should they break with in the guarantee period. Should the trader still not want to deal with your problem then go to trading standards and ask what can be done, won't cost you anything. they will sort it for you.

**glynholloway@nt** · 22-11-2007,11:41 AM

Hi Any self respecting garage will be able to do a chemical test to look for, I think sulphur, in your coolant. If it is there you have a blown headgasket, if it is not, you have a leak elsewhere. I have a 2.5 T5 130bhp transporter and that had an internal leak from the water-pump. The fluid did not reach the floor or show anywhere outside but it kept on disappearing until a new water-pump was fitted.

**Eshrules** · 22-11-2007,01:14 PM

Originally Posted by v6dub

What you can do is demand your money back, or you can ask for it to be taken to a VW dealership and get them to do the work, what people forget is that the trader does not pay to have the cars fixed, the trader has an insurance on the cars to cover them, should they break with in the guarantee period. Should the trader still not want to deal with your problem then go to trading standards and ask what can be done, won't cost you anything. they will sort it for you.

if he's only had it a few weeks and the dealer is attempting to repair the car, there is no right to a refund yet...

also, you can't dictate to them where they source the repair, if they are paying for it, that is their choice. a VW dealership would cost over the odds and you could be seen to be being obstructive to the repair, if this is shown effectively, the dealer would wash their hands of you.

also, whether the trader has insurance or not, the liability of repair is on him im afraid, especially within a few weeks of getting the vehicle. you're referring to a 3rd party warranty, which only comes into play for faults which were not present at the time of sale. it is evident from the OP's description, that this one was.

IMHO, give it back to the dealer, ask him to make sure it's repaired properly and that no leaks are left when you get it back... ask him if he can provide a courtesy car in the meantime (most dealers will if asked nicely) and get him to put it in writing that the fault has been asessed and repaired (or no fault found if he still states that).

you could then either see how things go, or get a 2nd opinion and have the car inspected by an independant garage for peace of mind. if the fault still remains, either over time, or via the asessment, ask the dealer what he proposes to do. if he refuses to do anything else, then contact consumer direct/trading standards and ask for backup.

**Muzzy GTI** · 22-11-2007,07:32 PM

Thanks guys
For the advice on how i should go forward, with this problem i hope it is not the head gasket. Say at worse it is the head gasket and the dealer gets it repaired (hopefully by a competant mechanic!) then will this not have any future repercussions on the engine performance, life etc.?
So glad i found this site though, id be pulling my hair out as what to do if i didnt!!!