Water in Dashboard? "Dissapearing coolant"

[sonata54]

Hello there, i'm back with yet another problem! First off i'd like to thank the community of audiworld for their tremendous knowledge and helpfulness! So here's my problem: My coolant has been dissapearing for months, i've just been topping it off since i've noticed its been going amiss. Also, last year when I took a trip down to South Carolina (from St. Louis, Mo) I had been driving through rain a bit and whenever I had the A/C on blast, my dashboard would fill up with water spashing all over my legs and my passengers behind me They would leak from the lower air vents whenever I would brake or drive in any inclination. This still happens whenver I have the a/c on for an extended period of time. This also happened once when my car had been sitting out in a huge thunderstorm. Could this be because of a bad water pump or a clogged radiator? or possibly both?

[silverd2]

Your AC drains (and probably you fresh air plenum rain drains) are clogged. They have to be cleaned like this >>>

http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articl...tordrains.html

Coolant pumps can leak from the behind the pulley if badly failed...leak down front center of motor.

Radiators do NOT clog, unless you've done something to cause it..like wrong coolant mixed with proper pink G12 (causing brown sludge)or multiple uses of stop (stop leak even ONCE is ALWAYS a bad idea). In either case, only a full chemical flush would clear these mistakes. If the coolant is boiling over at the reservoir, you's have significant coolant trails on the fender-liner under/behind the reservoir.

If your oil cooler's little plastic coolant pipe (replace with aluminum pipe) has never been replaced (link below), it's probably already badly failed...will leak coolant behind the alternator. If you don't do the job yourself (less than $100), get ready to pay upwards of $1000 at a dealer. In fact, if you don't do most of your own work, a high mileage D2 is NOT a car I'd recommend...I do all my own work and my D2 has cost me no more than a Corolla to maintain.

Oil cooler leak >>>
http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articl...reinstall.html

With coolant loss: There IS evidence of where you're loosing it..it leave whitish residue wherever it looks. You just have to look for it. Under the hood, shine a flashlight on the belly pan under the motor and around the reservoir.

[Perpetual Novice]

Originally Posted by silverd2

With coolant loss: There IS evidence of where you're loosing it..it leave whitish residue wherever it looks. You just have to look for it. Under the hood, shine a flashlight on the belly pan under the motor and around the reservoir.

Assuming the correct coolant is in there to begin with. With a used car, who knows whats in there. Coolant should be Pink.

In addition to the places Silver mentioned (behind alternator and expansion tank), check the radiator itself: the plastic end tanks can leak. Also sometimes there is a leak behind engine passenger side, where the temperature sender is housed.

[sonata54]

Thank you silverd2 and perpetual novice, I have just unclogged the wheel well drains and will be working on the a/c drain within the next few days thanks for the advice! The oil cooler pipe looks like quite a long job, hopefully i can get that fixed and let you know the end result.

and good call on using the right coolant! I just checked the tank and it is most definitely green! I'm guessing prestone? I'm ordering a new coolant, hopefully this hasnt too much damage

Thanks again

[sonata54]

Oh btw, after snooping around on the internet, I found that the coolant inside should be fine.

I had been using Prestone Extended in which the Prestone Customer service had e-mailed:

Hello:
If you would like to install OEM antifreeze in your vehicle your will have to purchase the antifreeze from your dealer. However, Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze is safe to use in your VW and will offer excellent cooling system
protection. Prestone Extended Life has been proven in the laboratory to be compatible with all new extended life formulas at concentrations typically used in all newer vehicles coming off the production line today. These automobile manufacturers include Audi, BMW, Daewoo, Daimler Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Toyota, Volvo, and VW.

We hope this has been helpful. If you need additional information please let us know.

Prestone

and also:
Thanks very much for your inquiry. The new Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant For All Makes All Models is
compatible with your vehicles coolant. The product can be safely added to your existing coolant or used in place of it
if desired.

Thank you.

Prestone

I do understand that G12 Audi coolant is the only one they state that is compatible but I just thought i'd like to add this info here

[silverd2]

Originally Posted by sonata54

Thank you silverd2 and perpetual novice, I have just unclogged the wheel well drains and will be working on the a/c drain within the next few days thanks for the advice! The oil cooler pipe looks like quite a long job, hopefully i can get that fixed and let you know the end result.

and good call on using the right coolant! I just checked the tank and it is most definitely green! I'm guessing prestone? I'm ordering a new coolant, hopefully this hasnt too much damage

Thanks again

Definitely needs to be G12 (pink or purple)...so long as it's says "G12". But ALL other coolant has to be totally flushed (not just a simple drain) from the system...even just a little of the wrong coolant mixed with G12 will create a clogging and corrosive (to non-metallics) brown sludge.

Said sludge inside heater pump/valve unit of an A8 >>>

[silverd2]

Originally Posted by sonata54

Oh btw, after snooping around on the internet, I found that the coolant inside should be fine.

I had been using Prestone Extended in which the Prestone Customer service had e-mailed:

Hello:
If you would like to install OEM antifreeze in your vehicle your will have to purchase the antifreeze from your dealer. However, Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze is safe to use in your VW and will offer excellent cooling system
protection. Prestone Extended Life has been proven in the laboratory to be compatible with all new extended life formulas at concentrations typically used in all newer vehicles coming off the production line today. These automobile manufacturers include Audi, BMW, Daewoo, Daimler Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Toyota, Volvo, and VW.

We hope this has been helpful. If you need additional information please let us know.

Prestone

and also:
Thanks very much for your inquiry. The new Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant For All Makes All Models is
compatible with your vehicles coolant. The product can be safely added to your existing coolant or used in place of it
if desired.

Thank you.

Prestone

I do understand that G12 Audi coolant is the only one they state that is compatible but I just thought i'd like to add this info here

I've heard (and read) this before...if your system was totally clean of G12 when it was put in, you may be OK. Shine a flashlight up against the top of your reservoir..if you see dark accumulations in low areas of the reservoir, esp around the level sensor on bottom, it is likely sludge collecting from the mix.

Many brands claim that their coolant can be mixed with "any color" coolant. I have personally seen sludge form when yellow ("color safe") Prestone was put in an Audi system (A6 Allroad) that had just a little G12 remaining. Don't believe ANY mixing claims..."safe" claims (with NO G12 present) I don't know and do NOT trust.

G12 is available from many online sellers (Pentosin brand) way cheaper than VW dealers and is exactly the same as their coolant marked VW/Audi.

[sonata54]

Thanks for the tip, I just checked the coolant reservoir and didn't see any signs of sludge or build up, any how I will be doing a full flush tommorow, so do you think it's alright to use the Prestone Extended Life?

Also, I had drained all the points that was listed in the audipages article however I was not able to get to the driver side orange line. The picture must show an audi pre-face lift.

Mine looks this:
2012-04-18 23.20.31.jpg

Any ideas?

[silverd2]

Originally Posted by sonata54

Thanks for the tip, I just checked the coolant reservoir and didn't see any signs of sludge or build up, any how I will be doing a full flush tommorow, so do you think it's alright to use the Prestone Extended Life?

Also, I had drained all the points that was listed in the audipages article however I was not able to get to the driver side orange line. The picture must show an audi pre-face lift.

Mine looks this:
Attachment 23890

Any ideas?

Myself? ..No ..I would use nothing but G12...you have an all aluminum engine/radiator/plastic parts, etc and G12 is made for this. Most claims about other coolants come from the people who make them and I find that not credible enough to trust. May be OK(?) ...I dunno...I won't take that chance with something SO critical.

About the AC drain: that side carpet panel next to your gas pedal has to come off, which requires getting that kick-down switch out of the way.

[sonata54]

Originally Posted by silverd2

Myself? ..No ..I would use nothing but G12...you have an all aluminum engine/radiator/plastic parts, etc and G12 is made for this. Most claims about other coolants come from the people who make them and I find that not credible enough to trust. May be OK(?) ...I dunno...I won't take that chance with something SO critical.

About the AC drain: that side carpet panel next to your gas pedal has As for the water in the dashboard, it seems to be fixed to come off, which requires getting that kick-down switch out of the way.

Great info, I found a 5L of pesiton at o'reillys for just 25 dollars, sounds like a good deal to me.



Now looking further into the oil pipe, I found the oil pipe on ebay (alum.) for 25$, which is not bad, i also found the o-ring pack online, an oem part, for somewhere around 45$?

Before I buy the replacement parts, I took pictures to see if this looks like where the leak would be coming from if it were indeed the pipe. It seems to be below the intake filter box and under the engine.

It looks like the leak is coming from this area, and judging by the replacement guide, this seems about right

2012-04-26 15.36.46.jpg