2.0 TDi Coolant loss <again> - Get it checked out!!

[adamhill]

Ok, 53 plate 2.0 TDi <feb '04>. Noticed car was beginning to use some coolant, generally go from -max to -min in around 1000miles or so. Decided to keep an eye on it and ask dealer to look into it on next service <6k away>

Had service last week....
Initially <and as expected from reading previous threads about coolant loss> they said they would need to replace the EGR valve, then yesterday they said they needed to replace the EGR Cooler. Now today they say the car needs a new head or at least head gasket and need the car for another 5 days!!!!!

Now, credit to the dealer as I understand that to get this work carried out under warranty is quite difficult to achieve with Audi UK <I am assuming it will be carried out under warranty as car is less than 3 years old and only covered 37k>

Purpose of this thread??? If you notice you are using coolant, get it checked out ASAP. I have 7 months left on the warranty and am 'fortunate' to still be within the warranty period.

Any advice from those who have had this work carried out??? anything I should look for?

Cheers

 

[Vertigo1]

I had the coolant warning light appear on mine a couple of weeks back (also 53 plate 2.0 TDI) and on checking found the reservoir was about a centimetre below the min mark so topped it up.

Manual said that this shouldn't happen and if it did there was a leak and to get it checked out so I booked it in.

A week later (before it had a chance to go in) the warning came on again and the level was back at a centimetre below min, so there was definitely a problem.

They had it in and couldn't find a leak so they said they needed it overnight to do a longer pressure test. It went in this morning and could be there until tomorrow. Mine's a lease car so even if the warranty doesn't cover it I don't particularly care as I just have to show due diligence in informing the dealer and letting them check it. I'm fully expecting it to come back tomorrow with no fault found again.

 

[Vertigo1]

Update!

Just had a call from the dealer, good news is they've found the cause of the leak. Bad news is the whole cylinder head is twisted and cracked!!

Won't be sorted till Tuesday apparently.

 

[Tim Stuart]

I've had the same happen to my 53 plate 2.0TDi. I get rid of it within the next month so I'm not too bothered, and the last time it was in for service, the dealer said they'd need longer to look at it to diagnose the fault. SOunds like I've got the same problem...

Question is - has the fault been rectified on later 2.0TDi's?

 

[ianspibs]

Same here with a 53 plate (Dec) 3 door 2.0TDi Sport.
Topped up from minimum about 4 times in one week just after I had agreed a trade in with the dealer. Very surprised as it lost so much over approx 400 miles.
Told the dealer about the loss of coolant when I went back to change cars but they weren't too bothered.
A bit concerend because I've got another 2.0TDi so it would be good to hear updates from those of you that are having trouble with this.

 

[IanMcA3]

Glad you guys have got this sorted, it took me ages to get Smith Knight Fay (aka 'tards Inc) to identify the probelm!

 

[Vertigo1]

Well I got mine back today after 5 days in the shop. New cylinder head fitted and it's great to be back in my torquey diesel after the frankly asthmatic 2.0 petrol they loaned me.

When I picked it up the guy told me that apparently this problem isn't that uncommon with the earlier 2.0 TDI engines and they've had quite a few come in with coolant problems which have needed new cylinder heads. From what he said it's certainly something Audi and their dealer network is aware of so any of you that have coolant problems with early 2.0 TDIs, I strongly recommend getting it booked in and mentioning this specific problem to them. Should all be fixed under warranty if it needs doing.

Only problems I have now are that I had them enable the auto-locking while it was in but they've only done the drive-away locking, not the key-removal unlocking. Numpties. Secondly I've managed to leave my wallet in the courtesy car so I'll be up there at 7.30 in the morning to get it back. Doh!

 

[adamhill]

Update....

Well, they took the head off and sent it away for testing, no fault found.... :-( So they are going to put the old head back on and put the thing back together....

I assumed that they took the head off because they had reasonable grounds to believe that it was the cause. I costly procedure and all for nothing by the looks of it.

Will the car feel the same now that the head has been off??

 

[cathaloneill]

my 2.0FSi has done the exact same thing. They had to replace the head after they replaced the thermo housing and other bits over the last 4 months. I got the car back two weeks ago but had to leave it back yesterday as i started to use coolant again. there does not appear to be any leakages or loose pipes so i can only assume that the head has gone again.

 

[Amchlolor]

D'you know,I never,ever,check the coolant in my car.
What other symptoms are there ?
Overheating,or is this unlikely to show up in normal driving ?
Steam under the bonnet ?
A warning light maybe ?

 

[Vertigo1]

You shouldn't really need to check the coolant as it's a sealed system and you shouldn't lose any over time, like you do with oil.

Even if you do spring a leak, the warning will come on when it gets a little below the min mark on the reservoir, at which point you're still a long way from being in trouble. The level would have to get so low that you started getting air pockets in the system before overheating was a possibility.

 

[IanMcA3]

Bowfer, no real signs other than the coolent drops without any evidence of a leak. Audi reckon that the car should run rough when started & spew white smoke - mine did this only once & that was after a long period standing still.

Effectively - just keep an eye on the coolent.

 

[Amchlolor]

You shouldn't really need to check the coolant as it's a sealed system and you shouldn't lose any over time, like you do with oil.

Given the way my thing eats oil,you'll forgive me for having a little chuckle at the above.

I'll have to check the coolant,as my car runs roughly when started and,occasionally,chucks out white smoke as well.

Quel surprise...

 

[Vertigo1]

Given the way my thing eats oil,you'll forgive me for having a little chuckle at the above.

Heh, bet you've got nothing on mine, which once scoffed an entire litre in 500 miles!

 

[Amchlolor]

Heh, bet you've got nothing on mine, which once scoffed an entire litre in 500 miles!

Blimey,I thought mine was bad
I reckon around 1000 miles per litre,ish.

 

[rickquattro]

Bowfer, thats just wrong... 1000m/litre... I only get oil used if hamering along, ie autobahns/autoroutes above 100mph for hours.

Otherwise no fill ups between AVS points.... which at your rate of consumption would be 16-18 litres...!

That can't be right....

 

[Amchlolor]

Bowfer, thats just wrong... 1000m/litre... I only get oil used if hamering along, ie autobahns/autoroutes above 100mph for hours.
Otherwise no fill ups between AVS points.... which at your rate of consumption would be 16-18 litres...!
That can't be right....

You wouldn't think so,would you.

However,Audi cover themselves by stating anything as low as 1000 miles per litre is 'within tolerances'.
I believe it says this in the manual,although I haven't looked myself.

Some seem to be oil-tight,some (like mine) seem to work on a two-stroke principal.

I'm lucky that I don't pay for the oil.
If I did,I'd be well hacked off,as I believe it's well over £10 a litre ?

 

[Vertigo1]

That litre in 500 miles was a one-off and about 300-400 of those miles were tooling about in stop-start traffic. The dealer agreed something was up but never found a cause and it never did it again. The real fun was it did this in the middle of France so I had to try to find the right oil in a foreign country. Ended up at a VW dealer where no-one spoke a word of English so ended up trying to explain what I needed with the aid of a dictionary and a lot of pointing

Generally it drinks about a litre every 4-5000 miles these days although it used a litre in the first couple of thousand from new, but I believe this is normal. It's stop-start traffic which uses oil on mine, not blasting along autobahns, the complete opposite of rick's experiences. Weird.

 

[rickquattro]

Mine is the old 1.9 at almost 80k, wheras you guys are on the newer 2.0 I believe.... 2 stroke indeed....

I have a Rolex officially certified chronometer. Its actually less accurate than a £1.99 digital from a garage. Yes, really.. If Rolex certified it accurate to 7 days per month... it would make it "within parameters" but no more tolerable... A manufacturer can set the tolerances as wide as they choose for convenience. Hope you see what I am getting at.

Bowfer, that oil consumtion may be in Audi's tolerances but it's outside mine! By miles...

 

[Amchlolor]

A manufacturer can set the tolerances as wide as they choose for convenience. Hope you see what I am getting at.

Bowfer, that oil consumtion may be in Audi's tolerances but it's outside mine! By miles...

Same here,but Audi are covered,unfortunately.

It must add to the running costs substantially,but I just order bottle after bottle after bottle on the company account.

If it were me handing over hard cash,I'd be kicking up stink about it.

In this day and age,of CNC lathes and tight manufacturing tolerances,Audi can try and claim the oil consumption of a 1972 Maxi is acceptable ?

Aye,right...