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Engine coolant contamination Seat Leon

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  • 11-11-2018 11:37am
    #1
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭


    Hi all, my heating system stopped working yesterday in the car and had to drive from Cork to Dublin and back with no warm air (was far from pleasant); after going to 3 dealers which all had no workshops open I found one main dealer who was open and was very sound to be honest. It seems the engine coolant is contaminated and its going to need a whole new engine coolant, coolant expansion bottle and a full day job circa 800e. My question is that the main dealer I got it serviced with only 6 weeks ago, should they not have spotted the coolant quality being poor. A few friends have said it might only be my heater matrix that needs changed. Also no warning lights shown and no change in driving of the car


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    #2
    Toyotafanboi
    Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    If it's a diesel, it sounds likely.

    There is a silica bag in the expansion bottle that can burst, which contaminates the coolant, blackens it in colour and makes it turn a bit thick which blocks the thin veins in the interior radiator.

    If it hasn't been like that too long, you may get away with an expansion bottle and a coolant flush but if it's been like that a while, it's likely that the rad is blocked more extensively than a coolant flush will clean.

    It's plausible that it could have happened since the service but to be honest the coolant seems to blackens a little in most of those anyway as they get on in mileage so a tech may not have read too much into it, particularly if there was got air in the cabin then.


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    #3
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    Thanks, yea what you saying is similar to what the guy in the garage basically told me. I don't know how long it has been like that but I only noticed the heaters stopped working yesterday. Only 85000km on the car. I'm just worried if or has other damage been done throughout the car as the engine coolant circulates so many parts of the car.


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    #4
    Toyotafanboi
    Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    Generally the expansion bottle and the heater matrix are all that need to be replaced.

    There is a special tool and cleaning fluid that dealers have access to, to be used in conjunction with activating the electronic water pump to pressure flush the system.

    A good independent could probably do the work too.

    Changing the heater radiator in these isn't too labour intensive, luckily. The expansion bottle is around €40 and the radiator if you need it is around €350 iirc. There is around 2 hours work in changing the radiator and around the same again to properly flush the system.

    What year is the car? I'd be pushing for a bit of goodwill in this if you have a dealer history.


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    #5
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    Toyotafanboi wrote: »
    Generally the expansion bottle and the heater matrix are all that need to be replaced.

    There is a special tool and cleaning fluid that dealers have access to, to be used in conjunction with activating the electronic water pump to pressure flush the system.

    A good independent could probably do the work too.

    Changing the heater radiator in these isn't too labour intensive, luckily. The expansion bottle is around €40 and the radiator if you need it is around €350 iirc. There is around 2 hours work in changing the radiator and around the same again to properly flush the system.

    What year is the car? I'd be pushing for a bit of goodwill in this if you have a dealer history.

    141 full dealer history and bought off main dealer....trust me I plan to push for goodwill just waiting until the diagnosis before I pull a screamer to head office. Rang 2 dealers....Earliest one will look at is wed afternoon with a 3 week waiting time for work to be done....another earliest will be fridat before can even look at it. I used to work in the industry and to be frank the blasé approach from dealers over last few days really is making think of going down the indep route if no goodwill is there. Kind of thinking of just trading the car in cuz was thinking of doing so next year anyways but it's prob not much better off for me trading in now


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    #6
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    My 4 yr old Leon heater has stopped working and need new heater matrix and a coolant flush. Getting different prices ranging from 800 to 1200. Sadly the car is outside warranty. No exact cause has been given but been told that no leaks exist. Anybody else have similar issue. Ideally I would stay clear of a main dealer due to expense but it seems quite a labour intensive job and main dealers I'm told have the right compression tools for flushing. The car had been serviced 6 weeks ago and nothing was mentioned about coolant going black then


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    #7
    George Dalton
    Registered Users Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    It’s a common issue. You can get it sorted for less money if you go outside the dealer network.


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    #8
    TomOnBoard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭TomOnBoard


    bs2014 wrote: »
    My 4 yr old Leon heater has stopped working and need new heater matrix and a coolant flush. Getting different prices ranging from 800 to 1200. Sadly the car is outside warranty. No exact cause has been given but been told that no leaks exist. Anybody else have similar issue. Ideally I would stay clear of a main dealer due to expense but it seems quite a labour intensive job and main dealers I'm told have the right compression tools for flushing. The car had been serviced 6 weeks ago and nothing was mentioned about coolant going black then

    Coolant going black??


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    #9
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    George Dalton wrote: »
    It’s a common issue. You can get it sorted for less money if you go outside the dealer network.

    Any recommendations, preferably in Cork.


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    #10
    Dermo123
    Registered Users Posts: 384 ✭✭Dermo123


    George Dalton wrote: »
    It’s a common issue. You can get it sorted for less money if you go outside the dealer network.

    Why does the Coolant going black? Especially on a 4 year old car!


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    #11
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    Dermo123 wrote: »
    Why does the Coolant going black? Especially on a 4 year old car!

    Precisely my question and one that nobody can answer. Car has full main dealer history so never been tampered with. At this stage I just want to get it fixed but naturally I'm worried other damage has been done throughout if the coolant is contaminated


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    #12
    TomOnBoard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭TomOnBoard


    bs2014 wrote: »
    Precisely my question and one that nobody can answer. Car has full main dealer history so never been tampered with. At this stage I just want to get it fixed but naturally I'm worried other damage has been done throughout if the coolant is contaminated

    Main dealer services since new, and they cant explain why the coolant is going black??? Why was it not picked up when the service was done 6 weeks ago?

    I'd be holding someone's feet to the Fire on this one. If it's been properly serviced by them,and the cooling system has been checked and properly serviced all along , then the main dealer should be able to analyse the situation and tell you WHY (as in possible reasons) for the problem.

    I'd be suspicious that someone used incorrect grade of coolant and sludge has been created by the mixing of the wrong stuff with the original. That would account for the heater not working, as well as colour changes, but also there could now be blockages in the internal cooling ways in the engine if all that sludge is not flushed out.

    Have you a copy of the invoices from the last few services? Service history print-outs? If so, check if the cooling system is mentioned as having had anything done to it..


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    #13
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    TomOnBoard wrote: »
    Main dealer services since new, and they cant explain why the coolant is going black??? Why was it not picked up when the service was done 6 weeks ago?

    I'd be holding someone's feet to the Fire on this one. If it's been properly serviced by them,and the cooling system has been checked and properly serviced all along , then the main dealer should be able to analyse the situation and tell you WHY (as in possible reasons) for the problem.

    I'd be suspicious that someone used incorrect grade of coolant and sludge has been created by the mixing of the wrong stuff with the original. That would account for the heater not working, as well as colour changes, but also there could now be blockages in the internal cooling ways in the engine if all that sludge is not flushed out.

    Have you a copy of the invoices from the last few services? Service history print-outs? If so, check if the cooling system is mentioned as having had anything done to it..

    I can't agree with you more. Yes I accept the car is outside warranty but I don't believe this is a wear and tear item. The reason I am pedantic about having main dealer service it is to prevent things like this happening. It seems the dealers are disinterested in it....the manufacturer then push you onto the dealership and round and round it goes. In fact one dealer I brought to who had just serviced the car not so long ago said it would be 4 weeks before could do the job if I needed a loan car. Oh and I would have to pay full amount upfront as he had to order special parts in. I'm sorry but this is downright cheeky and sort of arrogance that went on in the boom years....paying parts upfront is more than enough


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    #14
    Toyotafanboi
    Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    OP, I've merged this with your thread from last week. Please keep to one thread per issue, even for your own sake to consolidate opinions.


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    #15
    bs2014
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭bs2014


    Update on above. Seat Ireland will contribute 30% of heater matrix only = €60.

    Blackwater Cork quote: €980 - 60 = €920
    Finbar Galvins: €800

    Option 1. Put up with dealing with call centres and never actually getting through to anyone who can tell you anything other than "I will get someone to call you back" but can get the job done immediately and pay a fortune.

    Option 2. Wait 4 weeks, deal with attitude in the service dept and turn my nose up at goodwill and still save myself €120.

    This is proof that buying a car through a main dealer and servicing with main dealer religiously would prevent big expenses or at least in such eventualities, there would be a goodwill cushion to take the sting out.

    I have always been an ambassador for main dealer servicing but this is disgusting. I am a VAG head and have been servicing through main dealer since driving 7 years ago. I will never buy a VAG (even though I've a sweet spot) and will never go through main dealer as it is worth nothing in the long run. BTW I am not a ranter but I expect to be treated fair.

    Option 3: Is my option of going to pay €600 to a good independent. Wouldn't Seat Ireland be much better giving their dealers €300 to €400 contribution and letting me pay a main dealer €600; keep me satisfied customer and keep work in their network and nobody would loose out.


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