coolant warning on start up

[silver75]

a couple of times when iv started the car iv had the coolant warning lamp come up.. this only happens when it has been sat out in the freezing weather RE cold mornings.. is this something i should worry about???

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

No. It's very common. Add a little water the reservoir (100ml?) and it should stop. If the warning light stays on, you may have a problem.

 

[imported_gek]

Agreed. I filled mine to just on or above the max level and it stopped coming on. This was on the advice of Audi.

 

[necroeire]

I have had the exact same thing, checked the coolant level and it looked fine. It's been annoying me this week. Think I'll put some water in before I head off this evening.

Another problem on my A3. The damned list is growing weekly now.

 

[C_Audiboy]

Yep, I've had this too the last few mornings........ warning coming up although the reservoir level is OK.

I had the temp sesnsor changed under warranty for the same issue back in feb this year. I'll top it up with some water first and see how that goes.......

Not another common A3/S3 fault huh???

 

[Markb]

I was told that the plunger that checks the level gets stuck down sometimes. That is why it does it.

 

[god_thats_quick]

I've had this before and after my new engine, I bought some coolant from Audi last week and toped it up so it was a little above Max, not happened again at all sinse.

 

[JasonM]

Wrong ! its the sensor in the coolant bottle thats acting up.
Need to get a new coolant bottle

I had this go when I had an S3, quite a common problem

 

[HTC]

I love that. So every time you have a warning, do you replace the sensor before checking if there is actually a problem?

So what happens if you get a low oil pressure warning, do you just replace the sensor?

 

[rojocho]

same prob with mine, but the brake one does the same, just keep an eye on it with the oil and water every week, and my mrs mk4 golf gttdi does the same, has done for three years now and never had any probs, still goes well and never overheats or any other assosciated probs. just seems to be one of those things, eh!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[imported_jimbogrey]

Agreed it always seems to happen about this time of year with the first frosts. I guess the low temperatrure is sufficient enough to cause a contraction in the volume of the liquid in the cooling system. A small top up always seems to do the job.

Jimbo

 

[silver75]

ok.. so do i top it up with water,coolant, or do i get the bottle or sensor changed? the warning light comes on most mornings now then goes off after i restart the engine a few times..

 

[imported_gek]

I top it up with coolant

 

[necroeire]

Topped mine up with a little water and it's fine since.

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

[ QUOTE ]
I love that. So every time you have a warning, do you replace the sensor before checking if there is actually a problem?

So what happens if you get a low oil pressure warning, do you just replace the sensor?

[/ QUOTE ]

No way! In my case I reported the coolant light to Audi immediately and they said it was a very common problem and to just top it up.

I think in the case of the coolant light it's very safe to assume it's this non-problem, assuming it happens on a very cold start and the light goes out quickly.

 

[god_thats_quick]

[ QUOTE ]
ok.. so do i top it up with water,coolant, or do i get the bottle or sensor changed? the warning light comes on most mornings now then goes off after i restart the engine a few times..

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd stop restarting the engine aa few times, when mine was coming on, I'd start the car, get annoyed, drive to the end of the road and it'd go out, just top it up with either audi coolant or water.

 

[silver75]

yeh happens on cold starts and it then does go out... ill top it up and hopefully that will sort it thanks for your help guys

 

[greengav]

Happened a few times late last year with my S3, particularly on cold mornings.
Added pink coolant/water in the right ratio to just above the max mark, never seen the problem since /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[silver75]

just seen the audi dealer they say nothings wrong and they topped it up with coolant.. but then they added that the sensors may be coroded... hopefully this will not persist - anyway thanks again for your help

 

[jcs356]

I've had the same problem coinciding with the cold weather - but I got a different message from Newcastle Audi. I went in hoping to speak to a technician, all I got was a frosty 'you need to leave the car with us all day' from the service receptionist. I said I suspected it was a faulty sensor and could I just top up with de-ionised water / coolant given that the level was ok and that the car had not overheated.

She disappeared into the back to speak to a technician and came back to tell me not to drive the car under any circumstances. She seemed quite shocked when I told her I'd already covered 600 miles with it coming on for a few seconds when very cold, and the advice was under no circumstances should I complete the 300 mile journey back home to Surrey that evening.

If this is a known problem, it proves there are some Audi dealers who still don't have a clue....

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

They don't have a clue. Last year it was an Audi dealer that told me this was common and to simply top it up. This year, the same dealer said they had never heard of the problem when I mentioned it again!

 

[silver75]

for the record the warning light didnt come on this morning.. but then again it was as cold as it has been....

 

[silver75]

sorry that should be wasnt as cold as it has been

 

[sjokolademelka]

So did anyone figure out a permanent solution to this problem yet ?
Is it the G12's contraction when cold? A sensor that's prone to go faulty?

Anything?

It's saturday already...