2.0 TDi using alot of water.

[MPP]

My 2.0 Tdi seem to be using alot of water. I have to top up once a week, from the low level to the top level.

There dosnt seem to a leak and no signs of white smoke. Its done 53K.

Where do you thinks it's going?

 

[Khufu]

Dont shoot the messenger! I'd get the head pressure checked for cracks. The early heads were known to fail.

 

[NHN]

Uh oh this is the all to familiar warning signs & K rightly says.

 

[MPP]

Great, it's an june 05.

How much is likely to cost me? only had the car 4 months.

 

[NHN]

It may not be this, but its not cheap 1-2k I think, but lets not jump the gun just yet & I think its time Mr Hicks had an email from a collective number of people who've had this issue as its not exactly small number now so its gotta be a manufacturing issue.

 

[MPP]

Hope it's not, I owe 7K on the car.

It's due a service. Better have it checked while it's in there.

 

[MPP]

Anybody no where I stand with the place I bought the car from? Is it worth talking to them about it?

It was an independent dealer, 4 months ago.

 

[NHN]

Damn right mate, try your luck & say its been using alot of water for couple of months, blag it & maybe you'll have some luck, dont get anything unless you ask for it.

 

[MPP]

I contact them tomorrow and book a service and pressure check.
I know the service is £100, how much is a pressure test?

sorry for all the questions

 

[NHN]

I'm not sure of timescales but is it the same garage that sold the car to you?

I reckon they might do for free if from them originally, but go in there very ****** of so they can see your not at all happy, but dont be rude, explain the issue & you believe the head is faulty so they cant brush you of easily, let us know how you get on.

 

[MPP]

The garage I bought it from is an independent garage, www.smartbuycars.com

I'll book it with cardiff audi for service and testing.

 

[Flibble]

Anybody no where I stand with the place I bought the car from? Is it worth talking to them about it?

It was an independent dealer, 4 months ago.

Is it likely the problem existed when the car was sold? The sale of goods act means that in the first 6 months after you buy a car it's up to the dealer to prove that any faults weren't present when it was sold. So unless there's a very compelling reason they can say that, they have to repair or replace the car.

 

[MPP]

I have always had to put coolant in.

started after about a month of having it

Put about 200ml after 3-4 weeks

then 200ml every 2 weeks

then 200ml every week.

In total it's done 3K in 4months, car does less than 200 miles a week.

 

[kaz219]

Get the rad checked too - these are fairly common.

Hope its the rad for your sake as opposed to the porous head issue...

good luck..

 

[sijones]

Exactly same as mine, cost me £1800 but i managed to get a contribution from Audi and got discount, they started at £2500.

I had a warranty on mine but the warranty had a clause that said a cracked head is not covered, so had to pay out my own money.

As said previous i would go with Sale of goods act - fit for purpose, as putting water in after a month is not acceptable.

Good luck, and if you do manage to get them to do it, see if you can pay for the cam belt and water pump and pulleys done at same time, as it's a stripped down block there is no point in having to pay again for the cambelt etc in the next 10 or 20k miles.

 

[MPP]

Going to pressure test it tomorrow.

We shall see...........

 

[NHN]

Thats what he says too

 

[ianspibs]

I had a warranty on mine but the warranty had a clause that said a cracked head is not covered, so had to pay out my own money.

Was that with an aftermarket warranty company or an Audi warranty?

 

[kaz219]

Was that with an aftermarket warranty company or an Audi warranty?

I should think that was aftermarket as a few guys have got their porous heads fixed on their Warranty!

 

[Lex]

hello

my a3 was recently using a huge amount of water and everyone on here said its the cylinder head and that seemed the case however i took it to my vw/audi specialist who had never seen the clyinder heads go on the a3's.

he took my car and found a leak frm the egr unit and just a pipe, we thought this was it.

afew days after i had the coolant flash again. even though the leak was smaller now it was still annoying getting flashed every week.

i took it back to the garage and they finaly said it must be the head which they said they would do labour free becuase they felt bad not dianoging it first as the head.

i got a call a day later saying GOOD NEWS it doesnt seem to be a head, there was one water pipe which showed no sign of leaking untill the engine was at a high temp and there was a obvious leak when squeezed.

and no worrys so far, i've had no more leaks and without having the head done.

when you check it out for a leak or cracked head make sure you check everything you can becuase it may not be the head

good luck with it mate, it gave me so much trouble over just a few months

lex

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Mine has had a new Rad under warranty as these can also leak.

So not always the porous head issue.

Paul

 

[MPP]

Lex

Any chance you know whuch hose it was? or where to look?

 

[MPP]

I've done the test and have the results.




It's the rad. After 5mins @ 15psi I just start to see a trucle of water under the rad and onto the ground.

 

[Khufu]

That actually a bit of a relief, glad you found out what it is too!

 

[kaz219]

Get the rad checked too - these are fairly common.

Hope its the rad for your sake as opposed to the porous head issue...

good luck..

2nd Time i guessed right on the leaky rad issue!

Glad its the Rad - its cheaper and a lot less headache compared to the head issue!

Shouldnt Audi get some recalls out on the heads and rads on the A3s but then again, in this climate, i doubt they'l admit liability on anything

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Shouldnt Audi get some recalls out on the heads and rads on the A3s but then again, in this climate, i doubt they'l admit liability on anything

LOL - probably not even that they built the car in the first place

 

[tenbels21]

ive had the same prob for over a year, dont wanna upset you but just been told i need a new cylinder head at £1900

 

[MPP]

I posted a few days ago, did the pressure test and it was the rad. I can get a new rad for about £100. not to bad.

 

[matt a]

My partners car is using a fair bit of water, and has had the coolant light come on a few times, heres hoping it is the radiator.

 

[Batt284]

The easiest way to check for a cracked head is to keep an eye on your oil level. If it is rising, chances are the water is going through the head into the oil.

I have been surprised at the different quotes being banded around for replacing the head. You should be able to get it done for between £1300 and £1400 at a good independant. Even VW quoted be £1358.69 when I was looking earlier this year. Given the cost of this repair, I wouldn't be forking out any more than I absolutely had to!

 

[Brad89]

I had a similar issue with mine, Even though it was a petrol,
Had a steady water leak and it wasnt untill after a while that i noticed it was dripping from somewhere in the depths of the cylinder head.
Had it checked over and it turned out to be the head wasnt tightend down properly, and the water was seeping out the side of the gasket!
5 mins & 20 quid later, adios leak!
No problems since.
:icon_thumright:

 

[hollows wife]

can get you the head done , new head , genuine dealer part , new timing belt kit genuine , geniune gaskets etc 2 year warranty on head etc

£1050

done

 

[Dines]

Another thing to check is the expansion tank cap. Get the coolant up to temperature and then listen next to the cap. Steam can escape when they go and thus the level drops. Important to know, because this way only steam escapes, leaving the coolant behind in the system; so you should only top up with water.

 

[audi-pricey]

hello guys i also have a leek on my audi tdi but i only have to put water every mounth and i so 200mls i week i will have to go cheack it out i hope i am lucky and it not the head

 

[heyadamhey]

My TDI has always used a lot of water. took it in for it's 90 000km service, and within a week it gave me a coolant warning. So I took it back and they found a leak in the egr (or something along those lines).
It's booked in for that repair tomorrow.

it's getting dagerously close to being out of warranty (97 000km / 2004), so let's hope tomorrow finds a solution.

anyone know how Audi treat problems that have been identified prior to expiration of warranty, but continue to be problematic (i.e. not fixed properly under warranty) ?

 

[audi-pricey]

been the garage today and they could not see a leak the the tested the head and its not that they think it could be the radiator but god knows

 

[hollows wife]

a common cause of water leaks on the tdi is the egr cooler more common than the head going

 

[Batt284]

been the garage today and they could not see a leak the the tested the head and its not that they think it could be the radiator but god knows

How did they check the head? Radiator would have been much easier to check first.

 

[audi-pricey]

they do a presure test on it, it didnt cost me anything but will need get new rad soon tho

 

[Mikey]

my 56 plate TDI had this problem a few months ago. I took it to Audi who said it was the EGR cooler, so they replaced it. 2 weeks later, more water being lost. So took it back to Audi again who said the cylinder head was ******. Got a new one all done under warrenty.