Coolant Low Warning just showed up

[francis_a]

For 2 consecutive days, the Coolant Low Warning kept popping up from a cold start when the car has been sitting for a long time.

For the past 2 days, we had temps in low- to mid- 20s with windchill probably in the low teens if not into the single digits.

Is this something I need to be worried about? Never seen this before yesterday so am associating it with the cold temps.


Thanks

[Capt. Obvious]

Put some coolant in...

[fitch303]

Cold winter air mixed with hot coolant = coolant lines (rubber) expanding and contracting which can crack and cause you to lose coolant via a leak.

[KPC1.8TQuat]

Cold winter air mixed with hot coolant = coolant lines (rubber) expanding and contracting which can crack and cause you to lose coolant via a leak.

X2

This happened to me last winter. Add coolant and bring up to a safe level then check and see if you are leaving any spots in the driveway the next day. If you are, you know you have a cracked hose.

[sean1.8t]

^x2.

or check the coolant flange on the back of the head. it holds the coolant temp sensor. it's a prone failure point and will leave your transmission looking like someone threw up Pepto Bismal all over it

[okhan]

We had our first snow yesterday and I've had the same coolant warning since then. Is there any prefered coolant brand out there or will anything do?

[sean1.8t]

We had our first snow yesterday and I've had the same coolant warning since then. Is there any prefered coolant brand out there or will anything do?

G12 from the dealer.

nothing else.

[romell]

haha^ thats pretty straight up. you cnanot get anything else.

[KPC1.8TQuat]

G12 from the dealer.

nothing else.

I didn't get mine from the dealer...

[phantom b6]

I didn't get mine from the dealer...

then yo enginez bout to 'splode

[aaaudiprotein]

Same happened as soon as it got colder over here. Just add a bit more coolant.

[jackyaudi]

Knocking on wood, but its very cold here every winter and I never had that coolant warning at all. Sometimes it reaches -30 C here.

[aaaudiprotein]

^^^ it doesnt happen that often, but sometimes does

[102487thedude]

i have the same problem but it also cracks at the bottom radiator hose thats what did it for me. good luck.

[ryannorthcott]

haha
same problem here, it was my coolant temp sensor

[francis_a]

Thanks all. Definitely, coolant is low, way below minimum. Gonna grab G12 from the dealer and fill up. At first look I didn't see any signs of coolant in the engine bay but have to get it on ramps tomorrow to check. I'd rather see coolant in the engine compartment than not at least I know where it went Worried about coolant mixing with engine oil or even heater core leak {though I don't smell coolant through the vents}

[velocipedio]

Thanks all. Definitely, coolant is low, way below minimum. Gonna grab G12 from the dealer and fill up. At first look I didn't see any signs of coolant in the engine bay but have to get it on ramps tomorrow to check. I'd rather see coolant in the engine compartment than not at least I know where it went Worried about coolant mixing with engine oil or even heater core leak {though I don't smell coolant through the vents}

Take it to the dealer. There is an Audi TSB out for leaking coolant. My car had the same problem, coolant leaking but no signs of a leak anywhere.

Turned out to be a very small leak in the flange or something; it's a known issue.

[widgget]

crazy, mine turned on this morning too.
someone over at Audi world headquarters just pushed the big red button that makes eveyones coolant warning turn on!

[jackyaudi]

Knowing my car, I think thats what am going to get when I start it up. A low coolant sign!

[francis_a]

crazy, mine turned on this morning too.
someone over at Audi world headquarters just pushed the big red button that makes eveyones coolant warning turn on!

Can I Vag-com my B6 so Audi HQ cannot communicate with my car's ECU?

Take it to the dealer. There is an Audi TSB out for leaking coolant. My car had the same problem, coolant leaking but no signs of a leak anywhere.

Turned out to be a very small leak in the flange or something; it's a known issue.

Is this the flange that holds the ECT sensor you're referring to? May be easily a DIY. Hopefully that's it. DIY because my 04 is out of warranty. I got an extended warranty but time is of essence


Oh btw, the G12 is going to be poured it full-strength, right, and not diluted at all? Thanks

[CyberPMG]

It could also be a small leak in the radiator. I had the plastic end of the radiator crack and had to have the whole radiator replaced (can't simply replace the plastic part). I believe a few others had this same issue last winter.

[MaxBoostB6]

crazy, mine turned on this morning too.
someone over at Audi world headquarters just pushed the big red button that makes eveyones coolant warning turn on!

HOLY Crap! I read this thread last night and got in my newly purchased A4 ( 11-15-08 ) this morning and got the Low Coolant warning on startup and 10 minutes into my drive! , this thread needs a bad luck warning in the title... There's no way in hell i'm reading that oil leak thread now!!!! LOL

[francis_a]

Hahahah! Kinda reminds me of the Porsche's Urban Legend: Fact or Fiction tv ad where the guy revs his Cayenne GTS and all other Porsches respond.

One B6 starts flashing the Coolant Low warning and every other B6 does the same thing.

But instead of saying "Wow!", "Arrrrrrghhhh"

[chadb2434]

It could also be a small leak in the radiator. I had the plastic end of the radiator crack and had to have the whole radiator replaced (can't simply replace the plastic part). I believe a few others had this same issue last winter.

same here but I haven't replaced myne yet...It dosen't get too cold here tho.

[widgget]

i forgot i unplugged the sensor when i moved the coolant res so i could get to the oil filter last night. :P

[TCHUN003]

I was leaking something this morning and I'm not sure if it's coolant. It's definitely not oil though. It is weird that so many of us are having this problem at the same time lol

[sinful7]

My coolant leak is at the bleed screw. I need to get a new crush washer and just fix it, but it's not a huge deal, so I let it slide. Anyway, because of this intermittent light, I just started hauling a half gal of G12 with me.

[vee-r-six]

my car is doing it too. i cant find a leak anywhere but i have to keep putting fluid in it. my heat doesn't get hot either. I dont know what i should change out?

[fitch303]

My coolant is also leaking somewhere. Just a few months back I replaced my radiator, thermometer, lower ect so who knows where it's leaking from this time. All I know is when i'm getting out of the car after a drive I smell sweet warm maple syrup.....pos

[Shak]

I gotta fix my temperature sensor too.. I've been getting the warning for a while now, and I just kept topping up but I'll probably take my car in next week or so and get it repaired. Last I heard, the flange needed to be replaced on my car. Mechanic said something around $200-300.

[francis_a]

Well, I filled it up with G12 and so far it hasn't lost any coolant yet, from what I can tell. Will be monitoring it for the next week or so.

That flange where the ECT sits, it that towards the front driver right behind the radiator? If that's the one, the flange looks dry to me, no sign of coolant anywhere that area.

[jasgrider]

Depending on the year of your car, that flange can be a minor pain in the ass or a major pain in the ass. My 03 took way too long to replace that thing just because of the way the hoses and hard piping lays in around the sensor housing.

This is a pretty good write up that we used when we did mine: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84054

[rocketheavy]

Oh btw, the G12 is going to be poured it full-strength, right, and not diluted at all? Thanks

negitive. 50/50 is a good start with distilled water. full strength is like the river of Goo in ghostbusters....

[francis_a]

negitive. 50/50 is a good start with distilled water. full strength is like the river of Goo in ghostbusters....

Oooops. I just topped it off with full strength G12. Guess gonna have to drain out some and dilute. The G12 was pretty pourable so I thought that was good enough.

Thanks

[Ricky8997]

I was getting the same error on my 2008 Audi TT. I check the levels and they are fine. It was also only at cold Notheast start ups and once the vehicle warmed up the light turned off.

[widgget]

full strength is like the river of Goo in ghostbusters....

Great analogy!

[EYE4SPEED]

Check for leaks on your resevoir. Might have a slow leak or micro-crack.