Cupra ST MY19 coolant loss

[bunziboy]

I've had my MY19 Cupra ST since March and last night my coolant low warning came on. The level was just below the Min by about 1 cm. This morning the level had rose to the min line and the warning went. After a 40 mile run to work the level was below the min again but no warning. After a few hours I released the expansion tank and the level came up to the min. I'm going to my local dealer tomorrow but just wondered if anyone has had similar experiences or are there any common issues like the cap venting off steam??

 

[Damo H]

I've had my MY19 Cupra ST since March and last night my coolant low warning came on. The level was just below the Min by about 1 cm. This morning the level had rose to the min line and the warning went. After a 40 mile run to work the level was below the min again but no warning. After a few hours I released the expansion tank and the level came up to the min. I'm going to my local dealer tomorrow but just wondered if anyone has had similar experiences or are there any common issues like the cap venting off steam??

Leaky fuel pumps and thermostats are a common fault, but so are airlocks in the system from factory. I thought I'd got a coolant leak, but after topping up and some heavy runs in hot conditions (34 degrees in stop go traffic) and no sign anymore. This was when I'd done 13,000 miles as well when you would expect any airlocks to of been sorted by then.

 

[bunziboy]

Leaky fuel pumps and thermostats are a common fault, but so are airlocks in the system from factory. I thought I'd got a coolant leak, but after topping up and some heavy runs in hot conditions (34 degrees in stop go traffic) and no sign anymore. This was when I'd done 13,000 miles as well when you would expect any airlocks to of been sorted by then.

Cheers. That’s reassuring to know. I’ll post back when the dealer has a look at it.

 

[TheSwede]

Leaky fuel pumps and thermostats are a common fault, but so are airlocks in the system from factory. I thought I'd got a coolant leak, but after topping up and some heavy runs in hot conditions (34 degrees in stop go traffic) and no sign anymore. This was when I'd done 13,000 miles as well when you would expect any airlocks to of been sorted by then.

This corresponds with my experience of the EA888 engine in Golf R and Cupra. Haven’t noticed any coolant consumption regarding my Cupra R -18 but my former Golf 7 R consumed some during the first year 15000km. My son have taken over the Golf R since I bought the Cupra R. For 6 months ago (5 years old and 60000km) it was needed to replace the coolant pump/thermostat unit on the Golf due temperature increase, no leaks. 4 months after the swap it suddenly needed a fill from the min level (did a check a week before during a self-made service, normal level). We added some G13 and he drove 1000 km a day after, no further consumption he said. This must be related to air pockets in the system as I suppose you Bunziboy had.

 

[LouG]

I've had my MY19 Cupra ST since March and last night my coolant low warning came on. The level was just below the Min by about 1 cm. This morning the level had rose to the min line and the warning went. After a 40 mile run to work the level was below the min again but no warning. After a few hours I released the expansion tank and the level came up to the min. I'm going to my local dealer tomorrow but just wondered if anyone has had similar experiences or are there any common issues like the cap venting off steam??

Was it correctly filled when you got it? Have you regularly checked the level or relied on the warning?

 

[bunziboy]

Was it correctly filled when you got it? Have you regularly checked the level or relied on the warning?

Hi Lou,

I didn't check the level when I got it. I'm not being funny but I assumed that one of the biggest car manufacturers that own brands like Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati would be the highest ISO levels and be able to fill a water bottle up correctly. Plus dealer PDI checks to boot.

I do regularly check it when I wash it every two weeks and also look for any leaks on my drive and when parked but I also kind of think that the level sensor is there to check the level for me. It was just over min but I thought that's normal as it drops with temperature and the band is quite tight so it's hard to assess a slow leaks/steam loss.

The dealer topped it up. I didn't ask if they pressure tested it but knowing dealers they'd just say yes. I'll see how things go and check it evry few days for the next month

 

[RUM4MO]

PDI ! Well my daughter's Leon Cupra came complete with, if I remember correctly either 9 logged faults or faults logged in 9 controllers, PDI means fixing the number plates on - at best.

This "dropping of coolant level" has been happening across the VW Group non premium car brands for many years, so far, I've not experienced it though, and as said, in most cases it is due to initially trapped air moving out into the reservoir and so fluid taking its place.

Best plan for a new owner is to assume nothing, do your own "bumper to bumper" checks, catching silly unspotted up to this time manufacturing faults and correcting them, or getting them corrected, for me, beats fighting to get a slightly damaged (by these small faults) car sorted out properly further down the line.

 

[bunziboy]

PDI ! Well my daughter's Leon Cupra came complete with, if I remember correctly either 9 logged faults or faults logged in 9 controllers, PDI means fixing the number plates on - at best.

This "dropping of coolant level" has been happening across the VW Group non premium car brands for many years, so far, I've not experienced it though, and as said, in most cases it is due to initially trapped air moving out into the reservoir and so fluid taking its place.

Best plan for a new owner is to assume nothing, do your own "bumper to bumper" checks, catching silly unspotted up to this time manufacturing faults and correcting them, or getting them corrected, for me, beats fighting to get a slightly damaged (by these small faults) car sorted out properly further down the line.

You should have asked for your money back under the consumer rights act: The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you the right to ask for a full refund in the first 30 days after buying any product that proves to be faulty, including new and used cars.

PDI checks certainly shouldn't mean fixing number plates on. Why should we have to check anything? Quality control systems should be robust enough in the 21st century to pick up faults. The attached PDI, granted is a US one for the Golf R but It shouldn't differ that much from a European PDI, should it??

My next door neighbour recently had the new Merc A class saloon with faults and he asked for his money back. They gave him a three year service plan, £500 cashback and a car detail with ceramic coating.

Don't accept faulty goods or take out extended warranty on new goods.

 

[LouG]

Hi Lou,

I didn't check the level when I got it. I'm not being funny but I assumed that one of the biggest car manufacturers that own brands like Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati would be the highest ISO levels and be able to fill a water bottle up correctly. Plus dealer PDI checks to boot.

I do regularly check it when I wash it every two weeks and also look for any leaks on my drive and when parked but I also kind of think that the level sensor is there to check the level for me. It was just over min but I thought that's normal as it drops with temperature and the band is quite tight so it's hard to assess a slow leaks/steam loss.

The dealer topped it up. I didn't ask if they pressure tested it but knowing dealers they'd just say yes. I'll see how things go and check it evry few days for the next month

I thought the same. But the level has not dropped to that level since I first topped it up. We've also had a problem with a displaced turbo coolant hose on our Arona that I'm sure could only have been done at assembly.
I guess car assemblers can still screw up.

And I'll never fully trust Techs. The Hyundai dealer we used was going to take $1200 for a new BCM on our Tiburon, when all it needed was the indicator bulb contacts being cleaned.
And I always check where they've been working when our car's been in for service.

 

[RUM4MO]

You should have asked for your money back under the consumer rights act: The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you the right to ask for a full refund in the first 30 days after buying any product that proves to be faulty, including new and used cars.

PDI checks certainly shouldn't mean fixing number plates on. Why should we have to check anything? Quality control systems should be robust enough in the 21st century to pick up faults. The attached PDI, granted is a US one for the Golf R but It shouldn't differ that much from a European PDI, should it??

My next door neighbour recently had the new Merc A class saloon with faults and he asked for his money back. They gave him a three year service plan, £500 cashback and a car detail with ceramic coating.

Don't accept faulty goods or take out extended warranty on new goods.

In an ideal world I might agree, but what doing that might have achieved is debateable, she has a busy working and social life so organising booking it in to her local main dealer who was the supplier, at that moment, just did not sound like her best plan as I was able to print off all the stored codes and clear them. I tend to leave returning to the main dealer for really nasty issues that I can't easily resolve, or issues that look like they would cause more problems further down the road. Throwing new cars back to a dealer is okay if it is a "run of the mill" model and there were plenty in stock locally, it was a Cupra that she bought and in the colour of her choice, so not that easy to replace quickly.

 

[bunziboy]

In an ideal world I might agree, but what doing that might have achieved is debateable, she has a busy working and social life so organising booking it in to her local main dealer who was the supplier, at that moment, just did not sound like her best plan as I was able to print off all the stored codes and clear them. I tend to leave returning to the main dealer for really nasty issues that I can't easily resolve, or issues that look like they would cause more problems further down the road. Throwing new cars back to a dealer is okay if it is a "run of the mill" model and there were plenty in stock locally, it was a Cupra that she bought and in the colour of her choice, so not that easy to replace quickly.

The threat of asking for your money back puts you in a stronger position. The last thing a dealer wants to do is take the car back so they try to bribe you to accept it.
My point is we accept poor quality control. We don’t have to we have laws to protect us. If they can’t be bothered to PDI a car and miss faults make them pay for it. After all it’s you that’s paying for their time to do it.
It makes me laugh the way they do a big reveal with curtains and turntables when you pick up your new car, like my next door’s Merc and they can’t be arsed to find faults at various production stages and dealers with all the diagnostics we now have. Anyway, rant over.