Coolant Warning! :(

[Jonay]

Guys,

Started the car this morning and about 1-2mins after startup I got the Coolant warning(?) on my DIS. not lights on the dash though...

It stayed for a further approx 3mins and dissapeared before i had a chance to stop. I pulled over at my local supermarket and popped the bonnet.

the level seemed to be above the min line, and I topped it up a little just to make sure.

Nothing else happened after that and my temp guage was as per norm (in the middle, think its 90*?)

Ideas?

 

[Ads]

Same happened to me about a year ago. Left the car for a while and the warning stopped. It never ever came back.
Think the coolant sensor on A3's can be a bit weak/temperamental at times.

Have you done any electrical work on your car recently? Even as minor as changing a bulb??
I ask because I had been playing about with the rear lights/battery just before my coolant warning came on.
Could have just been a coincidence but who knows!

 

[Stev3n]

I have seen the same thing several times since owning my car and it always goes within a few mins. It normally happens to me when it's very hot or cold outside, but once the car is warm I don't see it, even after turning the engine on and off. Mentioned it at a service but they said the system was fine and that they couldn't get it to happen.

 

[robby]

Keep an eye on the ground under the front bumper after a drive to see if there's any stains 9as well as checking coolant level) - mine started leaking and it needed a new radiator

 

[Jonay]

Same happened to me about a year ago. Left the car for a while and the warning stopped. It never ever came back.
Think the coolant sensor on A3's can be a bit weak/temperamental at times.

Have you done any electrical work on your car recently? Even as minor as changing a bulb??
I ask because I had been playing about with the rear lights/battery just before my coolant warning came on.
Could have just been a coincidence but who knows!

Yeah I changed the front dipped lights about a week ago to brighter/whiter bulbs.. (which arent very good IMO!)

double coincidence? or are we onto something here?

is it even a warning as it only showed on the DIS but the dash light never came on? strange!

 

[Ads]

Yeah I changed the front dipped lights about a week ago to brighter/whiter bulbs.. (which arent very good IMO!)

double coincidence? or are we onto something here?

is it even a warning as it only showed on the DIS but the dash light never came on? strange!

Hmmmmm... could well be on to something!

Yeah it's a warning, I don't there is a dash light for low coolant level.

As for the brighter/whiter bulbs... which ones did you fit??

I'd recommend these... http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=81
You won't be disappointed.
Enter discount code ZXRCX111 at the checkout and you'll get 10% off.

 

[Jonay]

Will the H1 fit the A3?

I'm not too clued up on how they differ etc.. I got these H7 bulbs, £25 for the two.. RING XenonMax "Bright White Light with enhanced performance for greater light output" my ****!

"up to 100% more light on the road" yeah from having no bulbs at all!

I'll go give them a go.. and if the coolant thing happens again I'll let you know!

 

[Ads]

Sorry mate, my bad. I linked to the wrong lights. H7 are the correct fitting.
Link.. http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=81

 

[NHN]

Sensor would be my 1st port of call if continues to happen.

 

[Kriminal]

Does the A3 have the same coolant checking system as the TT ?

If so, take the cap off the coolant bottle, and you'll notice that there will be two probes going into the bottle. Try using a flat bladed knife to scrape off any furring that can develop on the probes, as the same thing happened to my TT 3 years ago and I've not had a single problem since.