Leak: liquid on the garage floor after long run

**hogwash** · 10-05-2008,10:43 PM

Just got back from a return journey Leicester/Rotherham, parked the car and then the wife noticed a leak on the garage floor under the Golf.
Hunkered down and noticed quite a severe drip so started up the car and it came gushing out quite quickly.
It seems to be water; it's certainly not oil. It seems to come out roughly in the middle of the car just behind the engine compartment.
I left it for a couple of hours but noticed that there was a small patch of dampness, so I started it up again but this time little or no signs of leaks.
What could it be? Should I get it checked out? The windows washer reservoir is OK but the coolant reservoir looks a bit low.
Grateful for any feedback.
hogwash

**eko** · 10-05-2008,10:52 PM

Does your car have air conditioning and was it ON when you used the car? If so it could be from the heat exchanger for the air con.

**hogwash** · 11-05-2008,09:19 AM

Thanks very much for getting back to me on this so quickly as we need to do the same journey this Tuesday.
Yes, it has "Climatic" semi-automatic climate control and it was on all the time during the journey: Saturday was a hot day.
I can't stand heat so it was set at a pretty low temperature.
Strangely enough my wife did venture "Is it anything to do with the climate control?"
Never reaslised that climate control could have this disconcerting effect.
Thanks a million
hogwash

**hogwash** · 11-05-2008,05:13 PM

My wife rang Arthur Price the VW dealership in Lougbborough and they've confirmed that it's the climate control and it's nothing to be concerned about.
It seems that over the last few (hot) days they've had several similar inquiries from concerned drivers.
hogwash

**knt** · 11-05-2008,07:10 PM

I've had mine dripping for a few weeks now but it's not the air-con, as the dripping substance was oily and black when it got onto the driveway over a period of 24 hrs.

It's still dripping some patches here & there but not much, seems to be dripping from under the engine through the holes of the black plastic.

I'm not too sure if it's from the engine or brake/clutch oil, I'm guessing it's engine oil as the colouration is blackish in colour.

Booked it in for a repair to tomorrow, but the lady said it could be water from the air-con. But I insisted she booked it in for someone to take a look at it. As I wasn't convinced it was water from the air-con.

I haven't seen my previous cars with air-con to be leaking water like that anyways.

Off-topic, within a few days of getting the car, some of the brake disc looked a bit rusty in colour.

All I can say VW aren't as good as people make them out to be and certainly not worth the paying premium.

**elPaulio** · 11-05-2008,08:53 PM

Hey knt,

Dripping oil from the engine sounds bad!! Hope they get it sorted ASAP!

With regards to the brake discs, is it a new car? When you say rusty in colour do you mean the part of the disc that the pad meets or the edges/hub part?

Paul

**Frelon** · 12-05-2008,08:36 PM

Hopefully it will be condensate from your air conditioning. Perfectly normal when the air is humid. I am in Spain at present and you will find a damp patch under most cars when they stop in the car park.

Do not worry.

**knt** · 12-05-2008,10:23 PM

Hi, Paul

Just got the car back and apparently the oil leak is from the turbo.

The car was new from March, since taking it to the dealers they've washed the car before handling it back and the rust has gone from the disc face.

But still rusty colour around the rims and edges. The rusty colour will probably return to the disc face in a few weeks as I don't get the car washed every week.

Originally Posted by elPaulio

Hey knt,

Dripping oil from the engine sounds bad!! Hope they get it sorted ASAP!

With regards to the brake discs, is it a new car? When you say rusty in colour do you mean the part of the disc that the pad meets or the edges/hub part?

Paul

**RickT** · 13-05-2008,12:57 AM

Originally Posted by hogwash

Just got back from a return journey Leicester/Rotherham, parked the car and then the wife noticed a leak on the garage floor under the Golf.
Hunkered down and noticed quite a severe drip so started up the car and it came gushing out quite quickly.
It seems to be water; it's certainly not oil. It seems to come out roughly in the middle of the car just behind the engine compartment.
I left it for a couple of hours but noticed that there was a small patch of dampness, so I started it up again but this time little or no signs of leaks.
What could it be? Should I get it checked out? The windows washer reservoir is OK but the coolant reservoir looks a bit low.
Grateful for any feedback.
hogwash

With the warm weather we have been having it will be condensation from the aircon,

the best way is to "taste" it.... if it tastes like water its condenstion... if it tastes "bitter" its coolant.... if it smells like petrol... dont taste it!! LOL!!

A simple test if you dare.... i have done it many of times!!

Rick

**KeithS** · 13-05-2008,07:17 AM

Originally Posted by knt

But still rusty colour around the rims and edges. The rusty colour will probably return to the disc face in a few weeks as I don't get the car washed every week.

This is quite normal, discs will rust if left, the rust on the surfaces is removed by braking but there's always some on the rims.