Hi all. As well as my VW T6, also have a 2011 VW Polo TDI which I've kept as a useful little run around. Recently, I had a coolant warning flash up. As there isn't a temperature gauge on the Polo 6R, and I have AA breakdown with my bank account, I decided to call the AA out to look over it. The level was below minimum (but only just) and they couldn't find any leaks, but just topped up the coolant with water (!) and it's ended up above maximum. They said it wouldn't be an issue...
Roll forward a week and it's gone in for a minor service today to a well respected garage in Sheffield that looks after VWs (not main dealer). I told them about the above. They looked at it and also couldn't find any leaks, but they said that the coolant system is a "sealed system" and if the level of coolant had dropped below minimum, it was likely a failing water pump, and that I should have timing belt and water pump done. (It was last done only 11500 miles ago, so I'm somewhat reluctant to spend another £500!!)
2 questions really:
1. Is what they're saying true - i.e. if the coolant has dropped, there must be a leak and I should have the water pump replaced (again) to stop "catastrophic failure"
2. They haven't drained any of the water out of the coolant system (as I say - it's above maximum due to the AA guy) but said they would just do it as / when I have the water pump replaced. Is it a problem to run the car with the coolant an inch or so above maximum, and also with "just water" added (no idea if it was even distilled or not, but I would hope AA would use the right stuff... and it definitely wasn't coolant / G12++ - again the AA guy didn't seem concerned).
Any thoughts / wisdom on ANY of this much appreciated. Particularly if there are any trade people on here who can give me a steer on what the right thing to do is?
Thanks so much in advance,
Matt
Roll forward a week and it's gone in for a minor service today to a well respected garage in Sheffield that looks after VWs (not main dealer). I told them about the above. They looked at it and also couldn't find any leaks, but they said that the coolant system is a "sealed system" and if the level of coolant had dropped below minimum, it was likely a failing water pump, and that I should have timing belt and water pump done. (It was last done only 11500 miles ago, so I'm somewhat reluctant to spend another £500!!)
2 questions really:
1. Is what they're saying true - i.e. if the coolant has dropped, there must be a leak and I should have the water pump replaced (again) to stop "catastrophic failure"
2. They haven't drained any of the water out of the coolant system (as I say - it's above maximum due to the AA guy) but said they would just do it as / when I have the water pump replaced. Is it a problem to run the car with the coolant an inch or so above maximum, and also with "just water" added (no idea if it was even distilled or not, but I would hope AA would use the right stuff... and it definitely wasn't coolant / G12++ - again the AA guy didn't seem concerned).
Any thoughts / wisdom on ANY of this much appreciated. Particularly if there are any trade people on here who can give me a steer on what the right thing to do is?
Thanks so much in advance,
Matt
