Coolant top up between service ls

jethrothe2nd

Got a warning light coming in sporadically over the last 2 days saying check coolant levels, which I did. It seems a bit low so I'm getting it topped up. Question is though is there likely to be a leak given that it was serviced earlier on this year and the coolant was marked as ok or is it normal that the coolant may run low in between service intervals? Car is a 2014 Seat Leon ST 1.6 tdi. Service not due for another 4000km/April 2018.
On a side note, when I opened up the bonnet I found the mechanics clipboard sitting in the engine bay. Not very impressed with that I have to say.

Sleeper12

There is an expansion pipe. If the coolant goes over a certain temperature it goes out of the expansion pipe. This will cause the level to go down. There could be a faulty thermost. Your mechanic should easily be able to sort out

biko

It "seems a bit low" is quite vague.
Top it up exactly to the mark and keep an eye on over the next days/weeks.
There should be no missing coolant at all, but you need to know the baseline before you can say coolant is missing.

It could be nothing, or it could be something.

Toyotafanboi

The reading also varies by what temperature the coolant is at when you check it, so for an accurate check check the level when the engine is stone cold (after sitting overnoght).

If you check the car even a couple of hours after it's been running, the level could say maximum or even slightly above but when you check it the following morning it can/ will have dropped.

CiniO

There should never be a need to top up coolant (whether between services or during service).
If coolant needs topping up, it either means that there is a leak, or that system is overheating and loosing coolant through expansion pipe (which was mentioned by Sleeper12).

Coolant is not like oil which might need topping up and it's normal.
If level goes down, then it means something is wrong.

Needles73

CiniO wrote: »

There should never be a need to top up coolant (whether between services or during service).
If coolant needs topping up, it either means that there is a leak, or that system is overheating and loosing coolant through expansion pipe (which was mentioned by Sleeper12).

Coolant is not like oil which might need topping up and it's normal.
If level goes down, then it means something is wrong.

Not quite, it's not uncommon after a coolant change for small amounts of air to work its way out of system. This can require a follow on check and top up.

antodeco

Hang on! Are you saying when you opened up the bonnet today, you found the clipboard? When was it serviced?

CiniO

Needles73 wrote: »

Not quite, it's not uncommon after a coolant change for small amounts of air to work its way out of system. This can require a follow on check and top up.

If coolant change procedure is followed correctly, then this shouldn't happen.

But I agree that air in the system which eventually releases might cause coolant level to go down.

Surely wasn't the case in OP, where his car was services months or years ago.

jethrothe2nd

Toyotafanboi wrote:

The reading also varies by what temperature the coolant is at when you check it, so for an accurate check check the level when the engine is stone cold (after sitting overnoght).
If you check the car even a couple of hours after it's been running, the level could say maximum or even slightly above but when you check it the following morning it can/ will have dropped.

It was first thing on the morning the warning light came on. Later on in the day it didn't come on at all.

jethrothe2nd

antodeco wrote:

Hang on! Are you saying when you opened up the bonnet today, you found the clipboard? When was it serviced?

Yes. Opened up the bonnet to check the coolant and there it was. Car was serviced around June.

rex-x

jethrothe2nd wrote: »

Yes. Opened up the bonnet to check the coolant and there it was. Car was serviced around June.

You haven't opened the bonnet since June? :eek:

biko

It's probably more common than we think.
Do check oil and coolant every couple weeks or so, well as window washer water.

Toyotafanboi

I'd say most people with <5 year old cars only lift the bonnet when they need to fill the screenwash. What's more surprising to me is that that fact came as a surprise to someone.

landmarkjohn

The coolant probably did get out somewhere, if it occurs again after being topped up then you have to start looking.

Then it's all about how fast or slow is it losing? I messed around for about a year losing coolant real slow... it started of 2-3 months before low warning and gradually got worse. I was carrying spare coolant in the boot. I replaced an O-ring and then a bit of pipe before finally replacing the radiator (10 year old BMW) which seems to have cured it this time

Caution opening coolant reservoir on a hot engine!! Look for whitish powdery residue which the dried up coolant may leave behind when trying to find the leak.