Technical Coolant leak

[Nataliedip]

Hi all,

I have a coolant leak and the only place I can see anything leaking is from this black thing (see pic) under the car. Does anyone know what this is? TIA!

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi all,

I have a coolant leak and the only place I can see anything leaking is from this black thing (see pic) under the car. Does anyone know what this is? TIA!
View attachment 470169

Hi,

That is propably the Aircon drain

Fluid will be clear ( it's water)

Coolant, how quickly is it dropping

3 likely causes :

 

[Nataliedip]

Hi,

That is propably the Aircon drain

Fluid will be clear ( it's water)

Coolant, how quickly is it dropping

3 likely causes :

Hi!

Thank you for your reply . I commute for 2 hours total each day and it falls below minimum after about a day and a half. I have tried watching every YouTube video and cannot see any signs of a leak around the thermostats housing, radiator pipes, pipes around the coolant reservoir or anywhere else. I thought it might be the water pump maybe? The only fluid from underneath the car is coming the air con.. I will take it to a garage but would like to have an idea of what it might be first

 

[rmjbn1]

Petrol engine?
Have you checked this coolant return pipe?
Known to weep when they rust on the underside of the bend

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi!

Thank you for your reply . I commute for 2 hours total each day and it falls below minimum after about a day and a half. I have tried watching every YouTube video and cannot see any signs of a leak around the thermostats housing, radiator pipes, pipes around the coolant reservoir or anywhere else. I thought it might be the water pump maybe? The only fluid from underneath the car is coming the air con.. I will take it to a garage but would like to have an idea of what it might be first

My big leak was the Small Heater Radiator.. Known as a Matrix, that's at the bottom of the dashboard


Damp Carpets, but with aircon you don't see the signs for a while

Put some white kitchen towels there on the carpet after a drive

See if it gets pinky orange stains

Click on my username,
you can find the GUIDE from when this failed on my Panda

Option 2

Unscrew oil filler cap,

Full of something like Mayonnaise?

 

[Nataliedip]

Petrol engine?
Have you checked this coolant return pipe?
Known to weep when they rust on the underside of the bend
View attachment 470177

Hi… thank you sooo much for this!! I can’t see that it’s that pipe but I checked and found a little splash of coolant above it… and very rusty around that area could it be this pipe dripping down do you think?

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi… thank you sooo much for this!! I can’t see that it’s that pipe but I checked and found a little splash of coolant above it… and very rusty around that area could it be this pipe dripping down do you think?

That's the thermostat.. Just above the stain

Common for that to fail on the 500

So much so that I carry a spare

 

[Nataliedip]

That's the thermostat.. Just above the stain

Common for that to fail on the 500

So much so that I carry a spare

Amazing! Thank you…. I don’t suppose it’s expensive to repair?

 

[rmjbn1]

Not a big job
Needs doing ASAP
Well done for keeping a close eye on coolant level

Plastic spigot fracture common on these thermostats

There are versions that replace the plastic with metal, I would get one of these

 

[ahmett]

Yeah I've had my fair share of coolant issues the past year, the pipes eroded over time (hot weather makes it worse) and replaced a thermostat as well.

really not a big issue and spare parts are cheap but get it done if you don't want to be stuck in the side of the road.

max-min every 2 days is quite a lot I'm at about 10 days with driving everyday as I have a small radiator leak but will drive it until it leaks very bad and just replace the radiator at about 150-200 EUR

I actually had to replace my coolant bottle as it was completely opaque; couldn't see anything without opening the coolant cap so now at least I can easily see my coolant level!

 

[Nataliedip]

Not a big job
Needs doing ASAP
Well done for keeping a close eye on coolant level

Plastic spigot fracture common on these thermostats

There are versions that replace the plastic with metal, I would get one of these
View attachment 470180

Thank you so much for your help I really appreciate it!!

 

[Nataliedip]

Yeah I've had my fair share of coolant issues the past year, the pipes eroded over time (hot weather makes it worse) and replaced a thermostat as well.

really not a big issue and spare parts are cheap but get it done if you don't want to be stuck in the side of the road.

max-min every 2 days is quite a lot I'm at about 10 days with driving everyday as I have a small radiator leak but will drive it until it leaks very bad and just replace the radiator at about 150-200 EUR

I actually had to replace my coolant bottle as it was completely opaque; couldn't see anything without opening the coolant cap so now at least I can easily see my coolant level!

Thank you! Yes I have to use a torch on my coolant bottle to see where it is!

 

[varesecrazy]

Thank you! Yes I have to use a torch on my coolant bottle to see where it is!

Torch..
Down the hole?

Or Shining on the side..?

The side is my method on the Tube part of the Radiator


Some 500 models have a bottle on the inner wing, easier to use

 

[Nataliedip]

Torch..
Down the hole?

Or Shining on the side..?

The side is my method on the Tube part of the Radiator


Some 500 models have a bottle on the inner wing, easier to use

Yeah shining on the side, I could probably do with a new bottle!

 

[ahmett]

Yeah shining on the side, I could probably do with a new bottle!

Get one when you make the repaired they really aren’t expensive

 

[varesecrazy]

Get one when you make the repaired they really aren’t expensive

It's part of the Radiator on many of the 500's

 

[ahmett]

It's part of the Radiator on many of the 500's

Yeah sorry I have the 1.4 so it isn’t for me