Coolant problems

[Trev]

Absolute rubbish on behalf of the Dealership. I had something similar on a Land Rover Puma. In the end my local garage changed the EGR cooler. Land Rover insisted it was normal.

Can you not try another Dealership as it is under Warranty?

Thanks welshgas. Yes I had considered another dealership but frankly after spending in excess of £52k I want the sellling dealer to start doing their job. I’ve had to do all the research chasing and harrying to get them to do anything and don’t want them to get away with it. May be my only option.

 

[Trev]

Upton 20k is a load of rubbish I’ve worked on these vehicles for 15 years and although the coolant will drop slightly in the first few 1000 miles it hardly ever brings the light on. the amount you are using is exceptionally high and as I have said before I suspect you have a crack in your cylinder head. It’s not that the vehicle is not fit for purpose it is but unfortunately you are dealing with idiots. Vw do not have to give the go ahead to do anything unless the repair is over 10k e.g a new engine and ancillarys the diagnosis is up to the individual dealership. Vw will not ever instruct a dealership to directly replace a component they can only advise the dealership on what to look for and aid them to come to a conclusion of there own.at the end of the day Vw technical are sat in an office miles away from your vehicle it’s the technicians working on it who have everything in front of them. The next time your light comes on would it be possible for you to give the top rad hose a squeeze before you release the pressure.it should have a little movement in it if it is as hard as a bullit then the system is over pressurizing. Please be careful though not trying to teach anyone to suck eggs but the outside temp of the hoses can be 85 degrees+

Although the 20,000 miles sounds nonsense I’ve received that direct from VW. Sounds like incompetence and a complete lack of any customer care.

 

[Sportstest]

Just had a similar problem occur. I have a 65 place T6. Currently on 40k miles

My Cali had sat for 3 weeks whist I had been away on holiday. Came back to the coolant warning light. Popped to my local garage who topped me up with coolant, and told me to keep an eye on level.


About a week later after doing just a few hundred miles, warning light came back on, so called VW assist. The chap who turned up told me the Cali had the same engine as the cars, and it can take up to 30k for the coolant levels to fully settle, as (his words) "despite being vacuum filled, it seems that occasionally there are air locks that take a while to fully clear through".

He was surprised that with my van there was still really good pressure on the top-up cap, and no clear evidence of stone damage, or any other leak. He wanted to recover my Cali to the local van centre there and then, but I was happy to risk another top-up and see what happened. So a full bottle (nearly) or coolant was added.

Well a week later, coolant warning is back on, and the AA are now outside taking my van off to the local VW van centre. It will be interesting to see what they make of it, but thank you for the great advice on this thread, as I might be able to steer them in the right direction (if needed).

 

[Trev]

Just had a similar problem occur. I have a 65 place T6. Currently on 40k miles

My Cali had sat for 3 weeks whist I had been away on holiday. Came back to the coolant warning light. Popped to my local garage who topped me up with coolant, and told me to keep an eye on level.


About a week later after doing just a few hundred miles, warning light came back on, so called VW assist. The chap who turned up told me the Cali had the same engine as the cars, and it can take up to 30k for the coolant levels to fully settle, as (his words) "despite being vacuum filled, it seems that occasionally there are air locks that take a while to fully clear through".

He was surprised that with my van there was still really good pressure on the top-up cap, and no clear evidence of stone damage, or any other leak. He wanted to recover my Cali to the local van centre there and then, but I was happy to risk another top-up and see what happened. So a full bottle (nearly) or coolant was added.

Well a week later, coolant warning is back on, and the AA are now outside taking my van off to the local VW van centre. It will be interesting to see what they make of it, but thank you for the great advice on this thread, as I might be able to steer them in the right direction (if needed).

Currently at the dealer as they work through more tests set out by VW. Special tool needed and the wrong one turned up so another week lost. Will update when it gets resolved.

 

[Legin]

Have they done a sniff test ? This device sniffs the exhaust although Im unsure if it works on modern vehicles fitted with all the exhaust gubbins.

 

[VW Guru]

Currently at the dealer as they work through more tests set out by VW. Special tool needed and the wrong one turned up so another week lost. Will update when it gets resolved.

I still can’t believe how long they have taken with this during the time they have been looking at yours I’ve replaced 5 cylinder heads for issues and countless egr coolers. (Note not just on Calis) Just replaced a head today in fact. Cracked down the back of the intake port coolant straight into number 4 cylinder. Poor picture upload but you can see the dry intake port and the wet valve at the rear

 

[Trev]

View attachment 38070

I still can’t believe how long they have taken with this during the time they have been looking at yours I’ve replaced 5 cylinder heads for issues and countless egr coolers. (Note not just on Calis) Just replaced a head today in fact. Cracked down the back of the intake port coolant straight into number 4 cylinder. Poor picture upload but you can see the dry intake port and the wet valve at the rear

@vwguru you and me both. They are apparently following the various tests VW have set out for them but very slowly it seems. I now have zero confidence in their ability. They say they have a master tech at their dealership but so far no joy and unless I contact them zero feedback or updates. An object lesson in how not to treat a customer. I’ve so far resisted the temptation to name them and rubbish them across this forum but my patience is wearing really thin. Will give them a ring tomorrow to see what the situation is.

 

[Trev]

Finally some progress. Per the dealer:
we discovered some coolant in cylinder three, which would explain the loss of coolant you have been experiencing. The next step is for us to remove the cylinder head to establish the cause, bearing in mind that all pressure tests that have been carried out have shown no loss of pressure.

A truly slow and painful process.

 

[VW Guru]

Finally some progress. Per the dealer:
we discovered some coolant in cylinder three, which would explain the loss of coolant you have been experiencing. The next step is for us to remove the cylinder head to establish the cause, bearing in mind that all pressure tests that have been carried out have shown no loss of pressure.

A truly slow and painful process.

Oh shock horror you need a new cylinder head.

 

[Trev]

Oh shock horror you need a new cylinder head.

Indeed. If only I had suggested that months ago. Oh hold on ..... I have controlled my emotions and just emailed them to say thanks for the update. Presumably that definitely means it needs a new cyclinder head? Not sure I follow their comment about needing to remove to check for the cause? Could there be something else causing the leak?

 

[calikev]

Maybe it’s just the head gasket

 

[VW Guru]

Indeed. If only I had suggested that months ago. Oh hold on ..... I have controlled my emotions and just emailed them to say thanks for the update. Presumably that definitely means it needs a new cyclinder head? Not sure I follow their comment about needing to remove to check for the cause? Could there be something else causing the leak?

The only external cause would be the egr cooler but that would be obvious without removal of the cylinder head and would be across all cylinders not just cylinder 3. The one I’m presently working on has gone on cylinder 4.

 

[Trev]

The only external cause would be the egr cooler but that would be obvious without removal of the cylinder head and would be across all cylinders not just cylinder 3. The one I’m presently working on has gone on cylinder 4.

Thanks vw guru. If only I knew which dealership you worked in I would be there in a flash! Appreciate your help and advice.

 

[Loz]

Thanks vw guru. If only I knew which dealership you worked in I would be there in a flash! Appreciate your help and advice.

Maybe @Vw guru could update his location just enough for a hint without saying

 

[jts46]

Maybe @Vw guru could update his location just enough for a hint without saying

No, no, no,no, i think that would be a disaster for him, he is doing more than enough for the forum, and could put his job at risk

 

[Trev]

Maybe it’s just the head gasket

Thanks vale46

 

[Trev]

Maybe @Vw guru could update his location just enough for a hint without saying

Just to clarify I made that comment in jest.

 

[Loz]

No, no, no,no, i think that would be a disaster for him, he is doing more than enough for the forum, and could put his job at risk

I meant that in just as well , but that will have to wait until he goes independant...

 

[Legin]

I think more importantly is to avoid the dealer thats doing this repair. Can you put us out of our misery ?

 

[Trev]

Am I missing something? Mechanic is off today at training so they can’t do the next bit of “diagnostic work”. Fair enough. They are also due to check the roof for corrosion. They said they can’t do this currently as the battery is disconnected. Wonder why they didn’t reconnect it briefly rather than vehilce just being sat there. Unbelievable.

 

[Trev]

Progress:
After three weeks at the dealer and them running various tests VW have advised that a new engine is required

I now know more about how VWCC and the warranty system works than I ever really wanted to.

 

[VW Guru]

Pr

Progress:
After three weeks at the dealer and them running various tests VW have advised that a new engine is required

I now know more about how VWCC and the warranty system works than I ever really wanted to.

Probably the same as one I’m presently replacing the engine on then coolant loss for that long it’s destroyed the cylinder bore apart from the vehicle I’m working on the customer ignored fact it was loosing coolant unlike yourself.

 

[Trev]

Pr

Probably the same as one I’m presently replacing the engine on then coolant loss for that long it’s destroyed the cylinder bore apart from the vehicle I’m working on the customer ignored fact it was loosing coolant unlike yourself. View attachment 38351View attachment 38352

That looks messy. I imagine mine would have gone “bang” at some point if I had ignored it. Really appreciate all your advice and guidance @vwguru throughout this saga. It’s been incredibly helpful. Thank you.

 

[VW Guru]

That looks messy. I imagine mine would have gone “bang” at some point if I had ignored it. Really appreciate all your advice and guidance @vwguru throughout this saga. It’s been incredibly helpful. Thank you.

Yes it’s a bit messy but the consequences of ignoring coolant loss with a cracked cylinder head. Just one more thing to add make sure you ask when you collect your Cali if the engine control unit has been reset to engine run in oil pressure this should be carried out on all new Euro 6 engines when an engine, cylinder head or turbo has been replaced to protect the new components from initial wear. I have seen engines etc fitted and a few thousand miles later the engine fails because the run in pressure was not reset. Just get them to ask the tech that’s replaced the engine. It’s part of the repair instructions but you never know.

 

[Trev]

Yes it’s a bit messy but the consequences of ignoring coolant loss with a cracked cylinder head. Just one more thing to add make sure you ask when you collect your Cali if the engine control unit has been reset to engine run in oil pressure this should be carried out on all new Euro 6 engines when an engine, cylinder head or turbo has been replaced to protect the new components from initial wear. I have seen engines etc fitted and a few thousand miles later the engine fails because the run in pressure was not reset. Just get them to ask the tech that’s replaced the engine. It’s part of the repair instructions but you never know.

@vwguru again thank you. Invaluable advice.