Coolant Loss - B8.5 S4
- Thread starter scotty76
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So they've checked it again. Thorough inspection and pressure test (their words) didn't find any leaks. They still reckon air lock working its way out. I've been asked to monitor it and see if it continues to fall. If it drops below Min they told me to take a photo as evidence.
Oh, well, I guess you have to take that as good news. Meanwhile, if anything more concerning developed later, you've got it on record as having been reported.
Its a bit bitter sweet isn't it. You dont want there to be a problem, so in that respect its great news, however you also want to know why its happening and "we think its an airlock sir" almost feels like a 'cop out' answer. Hopefuly things will settle and all will be well. As you say though, its been reported and investigated so if anything comes of it in the future, you have a little back up.
@Bristle Hound thanks for asking. Last check it was holding steady on the max line from cold. I continue to check it but it does finally appear to have settled. If things change I'll update again. Last coolant check by Audi was April 2014.
weekenny
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It's quite a complex dual cooling system getting all the air out can take ages.
As it's now just short of a year since I raised this issue I thought I'd update to say that the coolant level is still happily sitting at the max mark. Car has now done ~5300 miles. Hopefully that helps anyone finding this via the search.
Mine was on the minimum this morning, I did have a forge charge cooler fitted a few months ago so it may just be a bit of air working its way out
Mine dropped to 1/2 way between min & max markers in 1st 100 or so miles. Topped it up when it settled down and hasn't budged since
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I'm glad I saw this thread as it never occurred to me to check the coolant level. I just did so now and the coolant is sitting at very slightly below the halfway mark. I then remembered that I have some photos of when I went to the dealer to inspect it prior to PDI and collection. I'm fairly sure that the engine was cold but it had been delivered that day so it could have been run for a short time in order to park it an hour or so before I arrived. Anyway in the photos the level looks slightly more than 2/3. The car is very cold now so in the absolute worst case that it was as cold back then, I have lost about a quarter of the level between min and max. The car is now just over 5 months old and has done just over 2000 miles.
From what I have read here I should not worry about it since a drop is probably to be expected due to air locks, but just keep checking it. Presumably it is best that I do not top it up but leave it until the first service and tell them that I noticed it had dropped so that they can do a pressure check?
From what I have read here I should not worry about it since a drop is probably to be expected due to air locks, but just keep checking it. Presumably it is best that I do not top it up but leave it until the first service and tell them that I noticed it had dropped so that they can do a pressure check?
@Dippy in my case the first time the problem occurred the level was below the min marker so I had to take action. I topped up, the car was pressure tested and given the all clear. The level then dropped again so I took it back. However in your case the level is in the normal range so should be OK to keep an eye on it. Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic. 
The other reason for booking mine in was to establish a paper trail should a problem arise later in the car's life.
The main purpose of my update post was just to confirm that the level has now finally settled. People often find their way here via the board search or Google and often find dangling threads with no conclusion which can be frustrating.
The other reason for booking mine in was to establish a paper trail should a problem arise later in the car's life.
The main purpose of my update post was just to confirm that the level has now finally settled. People often find their way here via the board search or Google and often find dangling threads with no conclusion which can be frustrating.
Well, I finally got round to checking mine today, Three months old and 2,000 miles covered, compeltely cold, it was only just touching minimum.
Probably not the best thing to do, but I added some water to bring it up to the max. So I realise I've diluted the anti-freeze concentration slightly. I'll do what @scotty76 did, and monitor it for a while, and if it drops again, get it into the dealer for a system check.
Probably not the best thing to do, but I added some water to bring it up to the max. So I realise I've diluted the anti-freeze concentration slightly. I'll do what @scotty76 did, and monitor it for a while, and if it drops again, get it into the dealer for a system check.
I think the expression I'm looking for for this is - all new S4's do this it would seem. Nothing to worry about.
Check mine every week & it hasn't budged since
I looked at mine at the weekend, and it was round about where yours is. That's at 5,400 miles
I'm surprised by this sort of thing, when the cooling system was designed, things like difficulty in filling in factory will have been considered, that is the very reason why lots or most cars have a recycle path to help purge any air out hopefully initially immediately at initial build and there after when the cooling system is opened up. I've had my S4 over two years and the level has not altered at all.
My wife has a new Polo1.2TSI 110PS and it has not moved at all over 6 months, though quite a lot of Skoda Fabia owners with that engine are reporting levels dropping initially!
My wife has a new Polo1.2TSI 110PS and it has not moved at all over 6 months, though quite a lot of Skoda Fabia owners with that engine are reporting levels dropping initially!
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Checked mine at the weekend and was under minimum, on a slope, but then after a drive was back up to half way between marks...
Just gone through your thread Scotty and noticed how dirty your engine bay is looking now
Mine uses a very small amount of coolant too. Bugs the hell out of me.
Mine uses a very small amount of coolant too. Bugs the hell out of me.
You're not wrong. I noticed that too.Just gone through your thread Scotty and noticed how dirty your engine bay is looking now
Mine uses a very small amount of coolant too. Bugs the hell out of me.
One for the warmer weather.
As I know you all enjoy these little updates I've topped back up to max and will see how it goes again. Why to the max? Coz the book says so... http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/coolant-loss.229588/#post-2421741
I have also discovered along the way that G13 coolant replaced the G12 variants but it's OK to mix them. Courtesy of ECSTuning...
I've topped back up to max and will see how it goes again. Why to the max? Coz the book says so... http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/coolant-loss.229588/#post-2421741I have also discovered along the way that G13 coolant replaced the G12 variants but it's OK to mix them. Courtesy of ECSTuning...
Oh yes wrt to G13 is okay to mix with G12 also with G12+ and I'd reckon G12++ - I'd doubt if you can buy any G12, G12+ or G12++ now.
Makes me a bit worried to read that someone, maybe ECS Tuning, is giving these coolant concentrates a working life of 5 years though, or is that a sales trick? I have not noticed Audi trying to sell you a coolant change at 5 years as I would have expected them to if it was really required due to the concentrate losing its effectiveness in any way, someone correct me if I'm wrong please. I know that there are things that are "nice/good" to do, but are we now saying that replacing coolant is one of them, until I see it on a servicing menu etc I'll not believe it is definitely required at 5 years.
Makes me a bit worried to read that someone, maybe ECS Tuning, is giving these coolant concentrates a working life of 5 years though, or is that a sales trick? I have not noticed Audi trying to sell you a coolant change at 5 years as I would have expected them to if it was really required due to the concentrate losing its effectiveness in any way, someone correct me if I'm wrong please. I know that there are things that are "nice/good" to do, but are we now saying that replacing coolant is one of them, until I see it on a servicing menu etc I'll not believe it is definitely required at 5 years.
@rum4mo ECS also posted a guide I found useful... http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f...HOAT_Hybrid_Silicates_Phosphates_Glycerin.pdf
@rum4mo was also thinking about the coolant change interval. It's not something I've encountered with previous cars, as in the past I've been doing cambelt changes at 4 years with water pump and hence new coolant at that point. I'm not sure what the guidance is. May dig the manual out over the weekend. As the S4 doesn't have a cambelt (it's a chain I think?) that won't apply.
Okay, I admit it, I panicked and ordered in some, but coming from USA so they will take a bit of time, roughly 21 days has been given as the expected delivery date. I'd post an update once they arrive as I can compare my wife's 2.5 year old Polo with my 7.0 year old S4 to see if there is any difference as both are still as per the factory fill with now water or coolant concentrate or fix added from new. I've ordered the same make as in that ECS Tuning script, remember they declared that all of that could be BS - well that was how I read their disclaimer clauses, as you would expect from USA!
