Maybe my car troubles haven't ended yet.

My car has loss about (no more than) 75ml of coolant over at least one month. Very small amount over some time but it shouldn't be losing anything.

I had a new radiator a few months back which seem to solve a bigger issue I had with coolant loss.

I kept checking after it was fitted and it seem to settle down causing me to not check it as often.

I've noticed no wet patches. No smoke from exhaust.

I'll keep checking over the next few weeks to see if it continues to go down. I've topped it up from minimum mark to 3/4 "full".

Any idea what could be causing a possible (very) slow leak?

what engine do you have?

1.2.

Hi, it possible that it's just self-bleeding..,
however worth checking around the hoses with a white kitchen towel,
there is a bleed valve at rear of engine ( where hose goes into car for heating)

try and wipe around heater hoses in footwells too..,
coolant SHOULD be reddy / orange colour . so leave a RUSTY colour on hose/ towel,

Charlie - Oxford

Our 1,6-16V is loosing a little coolant for almost 12 years now.
I top it up once in a while, consider it to be "normal" even after a new radiator and pressure testing didn't help/ show anything...it's just the way it is, I guess..

Peter Pick-Up said:

Our 1,6-16V is loosing a little coolant for almost 12 years now.
I top it up once in a while, consider it to be "normal" even after a new radiator and pressure testing didn't help/ show anything...it's just the way it is, I guess..

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yes my car needs a top up of coolant about once every 2 months. has been doing this since new, and it speeds up a bit during the summer.

Checked it this morning and still same level.

Looks like I'll have to add small coolant loss to the "personallity list"

I've still been slowly coolant and in the last few days or so, the problem seems to be getting worse.

A leak is coming from the thermostat. Nice pink coolant leaking onto the gearbox. Been told it's nothing to panic too much about and going to be sorted Thursday.

EJ192 said:

I've still been slowly coolant and in the last few days or so, the problem seems to be getting worse.

A leak is coming from the thermostat. Nice pink coolant leaking onto the gearbox. Been told it's nothing to panic too much about and going to be sorted Thursday.

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yeah as long as there is still coolant above the min level and its not leaking too bad you can still drive the car just check it often until you get it sorted so you never end up driving with low coolant.

i especially have to be careful as now its 37c and with heavy use of the AC i place a lot of demands on the cars cooling system, especially in traffic!

ahmett said:

yeah as long as there is still coolant above the min level and its not leaking too bad you can still drive the car just check it often until you get it sorted so you never end up driving with low coolant.

i especially have to be careful as now its 37c and with heavy use of the AC i place a lot of demands on the cars cooling system, especially in traffic!

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It's still above the min mark, only topped it up on Sunday.

Edit: Probably with filling up with more coolant has forced the leak to become worse.

It's warming up again here so I guess minimum driving and no air con for me until Thursday.

I'll take a photo of it when I can. The pink coolant is quite obvious on my 4 month old gearbox *rolls eyes*

I'm guessing this is leaking from the small pipe on the thermostat housing? Seems to becoming a bit of a "known issue" on these.

zanes said:

I'm guessing this is leaking from the small pipe on the thermostat housing? Seems to becoming a bit of a "known issue" on these.

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I'm a girl so no mechanical expert but the leak appears to be coming from where it meets whatever it's fixed to. Gasket gone?

Here a photo

Difficult to tell- it may be the housing/block gasket gone, or it could be weeping from the small hose connection on the thermostat housing and wicking round to drip from there.

I had a slow coolant leak (1.2 engine). Putting in some radiator sealant fixed it. IIRC LiquiMoly brand.

zanes said:

Difficult to tell- it may be the housing/block gasket gone, or it could be weeping from the small hose connection on the thermostat housing and wicking round to drip from there.

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Nothing too drastic you think?

It's a minor repair, just a paper gasket, maybe a rubber ring.
Probably needs some coolant to top up after the gasket is replaced.
Be sure to use the correct coolant, 50% Paraflu UP and 50% distilled water.


( Maybe only tightening the bolts will cure the leak....)

I had the same coolant leak issue in a 2012 1.2. Had to replace the thermostat housing because it started to drip and after that, it kept loosing coolant very slow somewhere. I ended up trading the car for a 2014.

Got car back and the thermostat housing has been replaced.

Old part was shown to me and the plastic tube had worn on the inside so that was causing the slow leak.

EJ192 said:

Got car back and the thermostat housing has been replaced.

Old part was shown to me and the plastic tube had worn on the inside so that was causing the slow leak.

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glad it was that relatively simple.

that does seem to be the weak link..,
the older ones with a single metal LARGE outlet were pretty good for being leak-tight..,
progress eh..,

Charlie