Facelift Coolant Issues

[sve170]

FL RS3 collected from new June 2019.
Got the coolant warning light appear yesterday? Stopped car, bonnet up and find coolant is below minimum level.
Restarted car and drive home slowly with no further issue, left car to cool down then topped up with correct coolant.

Had a good look around in engine bay, nothing obvious but discover dried & some fresh liquid sitting at bottom of engine bay on the plastic sheets under the engine, had a slight pink tinge to it.
Car then not driven again until this morning, another check finds the coolant level has dropped again, suspect coolant weep from hose.

Called local dealer to check if I can take car up to them and book in for a check.
Apparently no I can’t, I need to call Audi Assist who will send out the AA to look it over and if they can’t find or fix the issue they will transport it to local dealer? where it will get booked in for the service team to have a look.
I also require a courtesy car and the only way to get one is if Recovery Team transport my RS to the dealer themselves on back of trailer?

Anyone on here having coolant issues on the 2019 RS3’s?








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[Luiggi]

I had a leaking water pump on mine 2019 RS3 (July); 4500 km (~2800 mi).
Pump replaced and microbelt replaced. (will see for how long...)

 

[JWAM]

Not wanting to worry you, but take a look here:

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/coolant-issue.377420/#post-3353559

I'd be getting the car towed to your dealer if I were in your shoes...

Good luck, fingers crossed it is just a loose hose tho.

 

[8YARWY]

FL RS3 collected from new June 2019.
Got the coolant warning light appear yesterday? Stopped car, bonnet up and find coolant is below minimum level.
Restarted car and drive home slowly with no further issue, left car to cool down then topped up with correct coolant.

Had a good look around in engine bay, nothing obvious but discover dried & some fresh liquid sitting at bottom of engine bay on the plastic sheets under the engine, had a slight pink tinge to it.
Car then not driven again until this morning, another check finds the coolant level has dropped again, suspect coolant weep from hose.

Called local dealer to check if I can take car up to them and book in for a check.
Apparently no I can’t, I need to call Audi Assist who will send out the AA to look it over and if they can’t find or fix the issue they will transport it to local dealer? where it will get booked in for the service team to have a look.
I also require a courtesy car and the only way to get one is if Recovery Team transport my RS to the dealer themselves on back of trailer?

Anyone on here having coolant issues on the 2019 RS3’s?








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There are a few reports of leaking water pumps on RS3’s.

As you say the evidence is usually a stain on the under tray on the left hand side where the pulleys are, you may be able to see evidence also under / around the pump area.

If you ring Audi Assist ask for the dedicated silver Vag van technician as they are usually ex-dealer techs and I’ve found them very helpful.
If it’s got to go in then they will usually organise you a decent loan car through Eurocar or similar.

 

[sve170]

There are a few reports of leaking water pumps on RS3’s.

As you say the evidence is usually a stain on the under tray on the left hand side where the pulleys are, you may be able to see evidence also under / around the pump area.

If you ring Audi Assist ask for the dedicated silver Vag van technician as they are usually ex-dealer techs and I’ve found them very helpful.
If it’s got to go in then they will usually organise you a decent loan car through Eurocar or similar.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.
So checked my car this morning and found a small weep on my driveway sitting exactly under my car where the issue has been.
But having ‘topped up’ the coolant bottle last night to the Max line, I also find this morning that there was no drop in the coolant level, none at all?

Contacted Audi Assist and by pure luck it was the VAG Technician who arrived about an hour later.
Great lad and very knowledgeable on the RS, having previously owned two Pre-Facelift model and several RS4’s. He carried out a pressure test on the coolant system and over a period of 1hr it only dropped by a very very small amount.

He checked the engine bay over many times, I am definitely loosing coolant but due to the very restricted room under the bonnet he was unable to identify the exact location of the leak.
So promptly contacted my Audi dealer and the car is now with them to be looked at hopefully tomorrow.

I required a courtesy car and just by luck my RS salesman was working today and he sorted out a courtesy car for me, lo and behold he got me a brand new 69 plate RS3 saloon to tide me over until my one (Sportback) is fixed.

Also my daughter also has a 19 plate RS3 Sportback, so checked her one out this morning and guess what, her coolant bottle was low on fluid, had a good look around her engine bay and she has the exact same issue with visual evidence of a coolant leakage. I want to cry.

For now having topped-up her coolant bottle to max, I will monitor the leakage overnight tonight and re-check tomorrow morning, regardless if the level drops or not I will now also get her RS3 into the dealer to get it checked as well.

Let’s hope mine & the daughters motor is a simple damaged hose which can be replaced by the dealer, fingers crossed nothing more sinister.

Will keep the forum updated once I get feedback from dealer.


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[8YARWY]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.
So checked my car this morning and found a small weep on my driveway sitting exactly under my car where the issue has been.
But having ‘topped up’ the coolant bottle last night to the Max line, I also find this morning that there was no drop in the coolant level, none at all?

Contacted Audi Assist and by pure luck it was the VAG Technician who arrived about an hour later.
Great lad and very knowledgeable on the RS, having previously owned two Pre-Facelift model and several RS4’s. He carried out a pressure test on the coolant system and over a period of 1hr it only dropped by a very very small amount.

He checked the engine bay over many times, I am definitely loosing coolant but due to the very restricted room under the bonnet he was unable to identify the exact location of the leak.
So promptly contacted my Audi dealer and the car is now with them to be looked at hopefully tomorrow.

I required a courtesy car and just by luck my RS salesman was working today and he sorted out a courtesy car for me, lo and behold he got me a brand new 69 plate RS3 saloon to tide me over until my one (Sportback) is fixed.

Also my daughter also has a 19 plate RS3 Sportback, so checked her one out this morning and guess what, her coolant bottle was low on fluid, had a good look around her engine bay and she has the exact same issue with visual evidence of a coolant leakage. I want to cry.

For now having topped-up her coolant bottle to max, I will monitor the leakage overnight tonight and re-check tomorrow morning, regardless if the level drops or not I will now also get her RS3 into the dealer to get it checked as well.

Let’s hope mine & the daughters motor is a simple damaged hose which can be replaced by the dealer, fingers crossed nothing more sinister.

Will keep the forum updated once I get feedback from dealer.


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Fingers crossed it’s something simple.
Either way it’ll get fixed now you’ve raised the issue.

The cars are filled at the factory using the Vacuum method, which is meant to eradicate filling issues such as air locks in the system, however it’s not uncommon for the level to drop during the first 10k or so, I had this on a PFL RS3 and a simple top up sorted it.

I also used the vacuum method last year when changing our Golf GTD cam belt / water pump, it’s a good method that fills the system quickly, but a month or so later the level dropped on that too and required a top up, the Golf has been spot on since.

 

[sve170]

RS was checked today by my local Audi dealer and they have found the water pump is leaking.
New pump will be fitted and tested tomorrow


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[8YARWY]

RS was checked today by my local Audi dealer and they have found the water pump is leaking.
New pump will be fitted and tested tomorrow


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Quick work by the Dealer, glad you are getting it sorted.

 

[sve170]

Quick work by the Dealer, glad you are getting it sorted.

Must admit, my dealer does have its off days but overall I get well looked after from not only sales but service dept as well.
They do go all out to assist where possible, and as per my visit yesterday they had my RS in the workshop for 9am this morning and several hours later was sent an Audi Cam Video of the leak with the technician speaking to the camera of what steps he had taken and what his findings were.

Might get the RS back sometime tomorrow all going well.


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[Canadian RS3]

My RS3 has it's water pump replaced at 7000 kms. Leaking water pumps are quickly becoming a "known issue" with these cars.