Coolant reservoir empty after 2lts put in...

Ails76

Hi everyone, I just have a little question about the coolant level in my 172 Renault Megane 1.5 diesel. I bought the car last October.

I drove to Galway a few weeks ago and noticed for a second the temperature gauge slightly went up, not to the red, just a few degrees increase, and then settled back normal again. I was driving about 130kph as it's motorway way all the way. I'd been driving for about 1 and a half hours at that time. No warning lights came on and only for I looked, I would have missed the increase and been none the wiser. The car was driving perfectly as well, no hint of anything wrong. I continued on driving at around 110kph as it did spook me a little. Coming home I drove about 100kph, even though I know any driving for a long time will cause the engine to overheat no matter what speed. Since then, I've never witnessed another increase (and I'm looking more than usual)

In the last week or so, I noticed the fan was running a lot more. As I'm driving I can hear it and I'm thinking that's not good. My brothers assured me it was just the hot day....but I've been in hotter temperatures over the summer and it's been fine. When I'd turn off the engine, the fan would run for little bit and turn off.

So a trip was planned for yesterday evening. I decided I'd better check all the engine levels while the car was cold. Oil was fine, window washer was topped up, brake fluid ok, coolant reservoir...empty. I ran down to the motor factors and bought a 1lt bottle of coolant/antifreeze and poured it in and filled it to just below max level. It gurgled as bubbles of air escaped. I assumed it was air locked. I left the cap off to allow it to settle. After about an hour I rechecked and the reservoir was empty again. I legged it down to the motor factors again and bought a 1lt bottle of the one that has to be diluted. I made up 2lts and poured another 1 litre in. This time there was no gurgling and it was mid way between min and max. Again I left the cap off and left it for half a hour.

I checked it after half an hour an it was still at the same level as I had left it. I checked again before hitting the road and it was still fine. So off we went...over 2 hours later and not a peep out of the temperature gauge we arrived at our first stop. I decided to check while we were there and the reservoir was empty again!! We were in the middle of the Burren and 30mins from our next stop. I closed the bonnet and said nothing lol. I had brought the other 1lt of coolant with me but the engine was up to temperature and I'd have to wait for it to cool down. So I decided to drive on to the next destination and knew we'd be over 3 hours there. The engine would cool down, I could fill the reservoir and get home.

Not to be! One of my guests threw a hissy fit as they didn't like my chosen destination....a medieval banquet in a castle. I had bought it as a surprise and 'surprise' they didn't like it and wanted to sit in the car while my other guest and I attended the event. So everyone wanted to go home. I was upset because I'm not rich and I'd spent all this money on a banquet and I was thinking the engine was still too hot and I couldn't say anything to my pasengers as they'd be worried all the way back. What a bloody nightmare! To cut this long story short, we made it back. No increase in temperature, drove fine, no plumes of anything from the exhaust, no sign of anything in the engine bay, nothing on the ground under the car.

So this morning I still have to check. I'll fill her up again and see what happens. She's due a service next month. I'm scared it might be an internal leak as there's no signs of an external one. How would the car perform with an internal leak, in other words how could I tell? What signs to look out for? I've put 2lts in and about to put another 1lt in.

If you got this far, fair play to you. I suppose it wasn't a quick question after all! Another question...do you like medieval banquets?

colm_mcm

I quite like medieval banquets. Didn’t really read the other bit but isn’t the car under manufacturers warranty?

Tabnabs

Coolant pump leak? Bring it back to dealer and get it fixed under the warranty.

Ails76

colm_mcm wrote: »

I quite like medieval banquets. Didn’t really read the other bit but isn’t the car under manufacturers warranty?

Thanks Colm. Yeah, it's a bit long lol . I thought it's the original owner that gets the warranty and not the poor sod that buys it afterwards. The garage i bought it from only offered a 6 month warranty. I could go to Renault and ask

Ails76

Tabnabs wrote: »

Coolant pump leak? Bring it back to dealer and get it fixed under the warranty.

I don't think I'm covered by the warranty anymore as I'm not the original owner and the garage I bought her from only offered 6 months. It doesn't hurt to ask I suppose.

keavebm

It sounds like the water pump needs to be replaced. New cars have the electric pump in them and they are very hit and miss. Had 40000 km on a skoda and it was the water pump that was leaking

colm_mcm

Ails76 wrote: »

I don't think I'm covered by the warranty anymore as I'm not the original owner and the garage I bought her from only offered 6 months. It doesn't hurt to ask I suppose.

Manufacturers warranty transfers.

Ails76

colm_mcm wrote: »

Manufacturers warranty transfers.

Only in a private sale I believe and I bought it from a garage and not a Renault garage at that. I'll head over to Renault and play innocent. If all else fails I'll tell them my sob story about the banquet.

colm_mcm

Who told you it was only for a private sale and how would Renault know where you bought it?

Ails76

colm_mcm wrote: »

Who told you it was only for a private sale and how would Renault know where you bought it?

It says it on the Renault website. The garage I bought it off has their name on stickers and number plates on the car.

Ails76

Right, I'm going to go over to Renault. I'll find out about the warranty and let you know what they say.

punisher5112

Ails76 wrote: »

Right, I'm going to go over to Renault. I'll find out about the warranty and let you know what they say.

Just ring them anf book it in.....

Warranty is warranty and if manufacturers says 5 years you get 5 years doesn't matter who owns it whether 1st or 2nd or 3rd owner.

Toyotafanboi

The warranty transfers regardless of how or who you bought it from. Just dont mention it when you go to the dealer, you could end up opening a can of worms with an idiot.

If you lost 2-3 litres that quickly, internally, the engine would be running terribly and lots of steam from the exhaust.

Sounds like it's going to be a mechanical defect. Hopefully one covered by warranty. You could have a rad that's been punctured by a stone etc that wouldn't be. Whatever it is will be obvious anyway as you're losing a good bit.

Ails76

Update....

I put the 3rd litre in before leaving the house. Let it sit for an hour and it was still at the same level. Drove over to Renault which took 30mins and it's 20⁰ outside. Checked coolant and it's still in the reservoir yay! I spoke to the guys there and they said the system takes 5lts, so 3ltrs may have been a top up.

I enquired about the warranty and the guy said it stays with the car not the owner. I'll find out more Thursday at the service.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

The main question remains....who doesn't like a good old medieval banquet?

Toyotafanboi

It's a sealed system, 100ml after 50,000kms would be a top up, 3 litres in a week or two is a glaring fault. Take it easy until the service and be careful if topping up when the engine is hot. I'm surprised they let you drive it away with an issue like that.

punisher5112

These systems as stated are sealed and nothing like back in the day putting straight into radiator.

3 litres there is a issue and hopefully it hasn't caused irreparable damage.

Ails76

In fairness, the coolant level could have been low since the day I bought the car. It had a service light on when I looked at it and the garage said they'd service the car before I bought it.
I've never checked the coolant level until yesterday. I'm a lady don't you know, so it's lucky I checked it at all!

Well I drove a little more today and the coolant is staying in the reservoir. I'll keep my eye on it until Thursday.

Thanks again everyone!

Max Moment

If there’s no obvious leak externally and the oil is not rising which would be a sign of an internal leak, you could have a faulty expansion bottle cap. If the cap is not sealed, the system is not sealed and coolant could boil off and escape.

Just something to consider as the issue seems to have sorted itself. Maybe your expansion bottle cap was not tightened correctly?