Low Coolant Level?

**1827planes** · 09-22-2008 12:24 AM

hi all

while i was driving on the freeway today the Low Coolant Level sign came up. i turned the engine off for a short while and when i restarted the car the sign was gone. i then drove for around 5 miles and stopped to observe the coolant level to find that it's only around half of the min level.

i normally don't observe any fluid leak @ my parking spot so i am wondering what can possibly cause this to happen. please share your opinion on this matter! thanks!

p.s. the engine that i have having right now is a 1.8T ATW, carrying around 40 to 50k miles, and was just replaced no more than a month ago!

**biketsai** · 09-22-2008 12:30 AM

Was the car running when you stopped and checked?

**1827planes** · 09-22-2008 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by biketsai

Was the car running when you stopped and checked?

yea, i turned the engine off after that and checked it again afterwards though

**Two A's** · 09-22-2008 11:23 AM

Did the coolant look darker than usual?. Like a hint of brown?

**Kronic Budz** · 09-22-2008 11:44 AM

i just recently had to get my coolant topped off. Not sure what the reason was but i think its because the last person that worked on my a/c didnt top if off enough but im really not sure.

**1827planes** · 09-22-2008 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Two A's

Did the coolant look darker than usual?. Like a hint of brown?

nope! any idea on what's happening? thanks!

**1827planes** · 09-22-2008 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Kronic Budz

i just recently had to get my coolant topped off. Not sure what the reason was but i think its because the last person that worked on my a/c didnt top if off enough but im really not sure.

how low was your coolant level before you top it off? did it stay above min afterwards? thanks!

**crono35** · 09-22-2008 03:04 PM

check the top of your transmission, to the rear of the engine bay for any sign of pink residue/wetness. If there's a leak, there's a good chance that the flange entering the head is cracked. Mine showed no visible signs of cracking from the outside, but when I took it off, the inside ring that holds the o-ring in place had partially disintegrated.

**Kronic Budz** · 09-23-2008 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by 1827planes

how low was your coolant level before you top it off? did it stay above min afterwards? thanks!

i finally got a low coolant light after taking a turn really hard and then went off. But it was right around the mininum line, maybe a little lower and couldnt have been low like that for tooo long, but you never know. And BTW my engine temp was fine.

**Two A's** · 09-26-2008 08:58 PM

i would say the coolant tank is cracked and leaking. everytime i made a hard left turn my light would come on and then go off....look under the tank for white crusty stuff(dry coolant)