The red coolant LED was flashing at startup and the ambient temp was in the 50s. Posted: Sun 8:26 pm Post subject: coolant light flashing at start/cold engine: coolant leak? Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top It's rare to see one of those cars with an intact radiator and core support.Coolant light flashing at start/cold engine: coolant leak? It's way too easy to bottom out the front on a parking bumper or curb and the plastic radiator support and the radiator itself are about the first thing to hit the ground or obstacle. Unfortunately, on that model, a broken core support and leaky radiator is also pretty common. That also needs replacement every 5 years or so, and a weak spring in the pressure cap is a common cause of "mysterious coolant loss." Replace the pressure cap while you're changing the coolant. Check for VW/Audi specs on the coolant you use, but most of the "universal coolants" meet VW specs of that era. If you're draining, flushing and refilling with fresh coolant (required every 5 years), you can most likely use a "universal long life" coolant from any parts store. Don't mix other coolants with the genuine VW stuff. Top up with coolant.įor coolant, if it's got Genuine VW coolant in it, use that. Solid red = coolant overheating (dangerously above operating temp), shut things down immediately, let it cool off, find the issue and repair.solid blue = coolant cold (below operating temp), drive gently during warm up.By actively helping the moderators with this you ensure that the r/Cartalk community continues to be a worthwhile and knowledgeable resource for car repairs. Report posts and comments that fall outside the guidelines. If you do not take the time to include this basic information your post may be removed until it is revised. By making a good attempt to narrow down where and what may be causing the problem you save those trying to help many steps in diagnosing the problem.** Be sure to also include the year, make, model and engine size of you car in your title, along with your main issue.** For example "2003 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6L exhaust manifold bolts rusted off" would be an acceptable post title. Take pictures, crawl under the car, look under the hood. Attempt to investigate the repair issue on your own. Have as much information as you can about the issue before posting. If you still aren't sure about something you are about to post, please look at the links down below for other subreddits that might be better suited for your question, or message the moderators.* Most repairs have already been covered multiple times somewhere in great depth that will satisfy your needs. * Remember that posting here is not a substitute for using Google. Some examples of things that are NOT GENERALLY ALLOWED: links to articles or videos that are for profit, professional-level body work repairs, detailing or cleaning questions, aftermarket car stereo questions ( /r/CarAV), car reviews ( r/Cars), new & used vehicle recommendations, price comparisons for tires, stereos, exhaust, etc, and especially questions regarding cost of repairs or the legitimacy of a mechanic's quote. It will let you read and reset the codes. You can get a code reader from Amazon that works with 1996 and up vehicles for about $15. They will have a letter followed by four numbers, for example "P1234". You can have codes read at Auto Zone, Pep Boys, O'Reilly's, etc., for free in most states. Get OBD codes! If you have a Check Engine (CEL) or Service Engine (SEL) Soon light on, get the codes read and have them available if possible befoer posting. We're here to help you, but not to assist in negotiating with mechanics (this is business/life advice, not repair advice) or to tell you what car you should buy. Also respect those that take the time to answer questions and remember that many are professional mechanics, who normally get paid very well to diagnose automotive repairs. Treat those asking for help with respect, and answer without bias toward them, their situation, or their knowledge (or lack thereof) about the repair issues. Post disappeared? Read the following guidelines, and if you think it still is relevant, message the mods to free it from the spam filter. We look forward to helping everyone with their car repairs and questions, but please take the time to read this sidebar. R/Cartalk is the original Reddit auto repair community, with over 650,000 subscribers and growing.
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