[Shayansher83]

Hi, I’m having an issue with my 2011 Audi Q5 2.0tdi Quattro.

The car seems to be losing coolant ever so slightly, it was a car I bought from auction and seemed to be traded in from a Main dealer Audi PX. It has regular servicing at the same Audi specialist and car is very mechanically sound. However, I noticed the coolant level was a bit low so I topped it off then it dawned on me that the car might be loosing coolant. I have so far took it to a mechanic and they say there is a leakage and there was some visible coolant around the top rim of the expansion bottle, I doubt it’s internal but I put some sealer and changed the expansion bottle. I took it on a trip of roughly 70-80 miles and when I reached home I saw what seemed to be steam near the expansion bottle, all be it was raining so might just be the rain tbh. I will check in morning when engine is cooled down and coolant is returned to reservoir if it has lost any, this is a very large problem for me and any help would be much appreciated.
Thankyou,
Shayan

 

[missile]

Welcome to our forum: “they say there is a leakage” . Did they say where From?

 

[Shayansher83]

Welcome to our forum: “they say there is a leakage” . Did they say where From?

Yes they didn’t specify where exactly, will be taking to a more experienced mechanic soon but it was on the top of the expansion bottle I have attached image where.

 

[missile]

If it is bowing coolant out of expansion bottle it might be expensive

 

[Shayansher83]

If it is bowing coolant out of expansion bottle it might be expensive

I have so far changed expansion bottle and cap and I have put K seal but it hasn’t seeemed to work, it may be from excess pressure but It hasn’t got any of the other symptoms of the head gasket problem because the car isn’t overheating and isn’t blowing any smoke from exhaust. I left the engine on rn and put cardboard under the car maybe this shows where the potential leakage is from, could it be the water pump?

 

[missile]

The water pump can fail and it is labour intensive (expensive) to replace. If it was the water pump gasket, you would see sign's of fluid loss.
I suspect this might be why dealer sold at auction.

 

[Shayansher83]

The water pump can fail and it is labour intensive (expensive) to replace. If it was the water pump gasket, you would see sign's of fluid loss.

Yes, thankyou so you don’t think it could be a head gasket? I was also thinking water pump to be the most likely culprit.

 

[missile]

A competent mechanic should have been able to give you a better diagnosis. Some Q5s have a plastic impeller which is prone to failure. Could even be simply a failed thermostat. Let’s hope it is that. How old is yours?

 

[Shayansher83]

Some Q5s have a plastic impeller which is prone to failure. Could even be simply a failed thermostat. Let’s hope it is that. How old is yours?

It’s about 10 years old, however it has to be an external leak because under the car on the cardboard there is coolant leaked (pinkish fluid) so it is either an hose or water pump.
Thanks

 

[Shayansher83]

Hi just thought I would update, still no mechanic has been able to see it despite leaving it with them for numerous days, decided to just bite the bullet and do water pump and timing belt and will be booked in tomorrow hopefully should sort out the issue and will updmore updaate again in a weeks time with tes on how its getting along, Thanks again for the support

 

[missile]

Good luck

 

[Shayansher83]

Good luck

Thanks, I changed the water pump and timing belt as it came in a kit and at first glance it worked. However when the engine was cooled down and I checked this morning it was just below min (an improvement) but nothing major. I was beginning to think it was a head gasket but was quickly ruled out due to the lack of symptoms, only one being losing coolant. The mechanic did speak of a small leak with the hoses but after the test they said it was fine. Clearly not so will be driving for a few day’s regularly and monitoring. Hopefully the car is ok and it gets sorted soon. Any ideas at all would be helpful. Could it be the thermostat as it wasn’t changed?
Thanks,

 

[missile]

I am surprised your mechanic did not change the thermostat with pump. Can you see any water staining anywhere? Might be EGR cooler.

 

[Shayansher83]

Any competent mechanic would have changed thermostat with pump. Can you see any water staining anywhere? Might be EGR cooler.

He should have but many of the mechanics in my area learn with a hammer. There is staining on the bolts that hold the expansion bottle to the body there is a coolant there and underneath it near the bottom of the bottle. Strangely when the car is stopped and hood is open there is a light haze coming from beside the coolant. This makes me to believe there may be excess pressure or just a hose leak, sorry for bugging you so much with all these questions but it might just be as simple as a hose leak which the mechanic stated… the engine only loses coolant when the engine is off and it’s cooling down to my understanding as there wasn’t anything lost when I came back from the 30 ish mile drive I’m honestly baffled and debating putting a new engine in as a worst case scenario

 

[missile]

No need for apologies, this forum is for owners to help each other. Like the training if it doesn’t work get a bigger hammer. Without seeing car, I can only guess. Staining would indicate overpressure. You have already replaced cap, hopefully thermostat is the issue