Golf Mark 5 coolant query

TechnoFreek

Anyone advise here please.

A few months ago my engine coolant indicator came on the dash.
Right enough it was empty so not knowing anything about coolant, I stuck a bottle of pinkish coolant in. Few months later the light comes back on so I tried a bottle of greenish coolant.

Couple months later and light is back on. Am I still using the wrong coolant or something more serious?

Car is a petrol golf mark 5.

Thanks in advance

At a guess I would imagine your car needs OAT coolant which is pink and red. You shouldn't throw green or blue stuff in as the different coolant types don't mix. Also a car should use no coolant as the coolant system is a closed system. You have two things to get done by a garage/mechanic
- diagnose and fix root cause for loss of coolant
- drain and flush system and fill with correct mix of OAT.

kermitpwee

TechnoFreek wrote: »

Anyone advise here please.

A few months ago my engine coolant indicator came on the dash.
Right enough it was empty so not knowing anything about coolant, I stuck a bottle of pinkish coolant in. Few months later the light comes back on so I tried a bottle of greenish coolant.

Couple months later and light is back on. Am I still using the wrong coolant or something more serious?

Car is a petrol golf mark 5.

Thanks in advance

You are losing coolant somehow, you could have a leaking waterpump. radiator etc. Get it looked at before it cooks.

TechnoFreek

The timing belt was changed last year. Could that have interfered with things?

kermitpwee

TechnoFreek wrote: »

The timing belt was changed last year. Could that have interfered with things?

If the water pump is run by the belt it could have but if it was it should have been replace with the belt. Get it fixed asap the pump could look dry but the coolant would be evaporating under hight temperature.

biko

TechnoFreek wrote: »

The timing belt was changed last year. Could that have interfered with things?

Maybe, if the coolant/water pump was changed too.
First this as RoverJames said, get a mechanic to find out where the coolant is going.
Does the car have white smoke coming out the back?
Are there wet spots on the ground underneath the car?
Look around the the cooling system, are there coolant residue on pipes or radiator?

Some coolant will always escape through evaporation through the cap or similar.
Always fill to the level mark when car is cold.

TechnoFreek

Thanks guys. Will visit the mechanic tomorrow so.

I'm very sure there is no white smoke from the exhaust, nor are there fluid marks on the ground. Will check when I get home tonight