cause of coolant leak 2000 VW Beetle?
Asked by nngqyhfl Oct 05, 2015 at 09:05 PM about the 2000 Volkswagen Beetle
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
trying to find info for a relative whose car is having issues. check engine
light was on for a few days. The car was low on anti-freeze and she added
more. she drove 45 miles then when arrived at destination coolant leaked a
puddle under the car while it sat for an hour or two. after driving a further
10 miles, car started smoking from the rear, then stalled briefly at a traffic
light. she waited til car cooled down an hour, then added more coolant then
drove another ten miles. traffic was heavy and slow going. during trip, after
another 20 minutes passed, the car was smoking badly from the rear and
smoke started coming through the vents inside the cabin. after parking she
has not driven it in 3 days.
8 Answers
I just wanted to get an idea what might be broken so she would know whether to expect it could be an expensive repair or not. Also, she's worried the engine might have been damaged from the car overheating. She's an elderly lady with very small income and worried she may have expensive repairs or need another car. I was hoping to allay her worries about it. At the moment she left the car parked at the house of the relative she was visiting and would already have to be towed 45 miles back to where she lives to be repaired. Since it leaks coolant it can't be driven. Towing so far will already be expensive :(
It is most likely the coolant flange on the side of the engine. its a 4 point connector and it is often the problem part for leaks. They get old and break easy. Part is like 8$ and would recommend a new sensor at the same time which is like 25$ Is about a 1hr to 2 hr job if you know what your doing. this video shows you what to look for and how to do it on your own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Vmn_AwR18
if G12 coolant is mixed with other coolant besides G13 or G12+ the mixture will gel and cause blockages in lines and hoses creating pressure that could cause a leak. if you are switching to green or yellow coolant, the system must be flushed multiple times before switching to avoid premature engine failure and the jellying up of the coolant.
Just replaced my coolant flange to correct the leak. Still leaking and light coming on. ???
Car in the shop and mechanic is doing a pressure check to figure out where the leak is coming from in my VW beetle. Could the new coolant flange be the culprit? Maybe broken O ring??? I have no clue. Help!!!
as far as i know most coolant leaks are pinpointed at the 4 point flange on the side of the engine for vw's but if you did not replace the rings during replacement or cleanerd the surface correctly its likely to keep leaking. as for mysery leaks they can be atributed to a coolant hose they put in the head with a 2.8L engine they leak under the intake manifold and requires 4-5 hrs worth of work the 1.8L engines require much less work to correcct as the hose is more accessable. but the main places for a leak is 1 of 4 places, Radiator, Coolant flange, Water pump, and heater core. any where else and you likely have a cracked block. easy way to find that out is take your oil cap off and if there is a filmy residue like the anti freeze area and the oil is milky means the engine has seen its final days.
Thank YOU so much for all the details. Good job. Still waiting to hear what has been diagnosed on my beetle. Day 3 so should hear something. The shop is very busy they are saying right now. I am praying it is the O rings or something simple and inexpensive. With a car, it can be small or major. Scary to me, as it can be $$$$.
