temperature symbol on car

Strider590

forgotmyname wrote: »

Sounds like its not fixed if its losing water.

I hope you topped up with antifreeze and not water. Otherwise your going to be looking for a new car very soon.

Hmmm, not quite...... You can get away with topping up with water a few times before the coolant becomes too diluted, that is unless we get stupidly low temps this year as we did in 2009/2010 (-14 around the midlands).

On another note, my GF has a 2006 KA and this loses coolant slowly, they're just really badly build cars.

ktcoil

No I only used water I got in my car last night and drove home fine with no symbols, also booked car in for Saturday.


However! going to work again this morning in around the same spot the symbol came on again .


Could this slight not starting straight away and the symbol be due to antifreeze needed? I know there is water in there, my dad did put antifreeze in but was a while ago.


Is it worth taking to kwickfit or Halfords for an antifreeze test?


I would buy antifreeze myself but now I have a car full with no space fro water/antifreeze?


thnaks

angrycrow

Not wishing to be alarmist but water level dropping low enough to put the light on followed by difficulty starting and then unusual vibration from the engine would have me thinking the head gasket has gone letting water into one of the cylinders. I would take it somewhere to be checked over as head gasket becomes much more expensive to fix if you ignore it and allow the engine to overheat and warp the head.

angrycrow

posted last comment at same time as OP. New information definitely suggests the coolant is dropping rapidly or the engine is overheating. OP do not attempt to open the coolant cap whilst the engine or coolant are hot as you will be very badly burned, wait for it to cool completely then check the coolant level. If the coolant is at the correct level the amount of antifreeze to water will make no difference to the light coming on. The light is triggered by the engine temp being too high either due to a lack of coolant or an internal engine problem.

I would not recommend taking a car to any of the dealers, Halfords or other major garage chains for a head gasket as it will cost you £1000 or more. Go to an independent and expect to pay £350-£500.

securityguy

Strider590 wrote: »

Hmmm, not quite...... You can get away with topping up with water a few times before the coolant becomes too diluted, that is unless we get stupidly low temps this year as we did in 2009/2010 (-14 around the midlands).

Anti-freeze doesn't just prevent freezing, it also acts as a corrosion inhibitor in alloy blocks (using water is a good way to kill classic Saabs) and also reduces the surface tension so that it wets surfaces (particularly the radiator) better. In the dim and distant past water + glycol wasn't as good a coolant as plain water and people switched between water + glycol in the winter and water, or water plus corrosion inhibitor, in the summer. But they hadn't invented multigrade oil, either, and changing fluids twice a year was commonplace. There days, appropriately diluted coolant is more effective than water, which is why we have "sealed" cooling systems.

ktcoil

to be fair with regards to the water, I didn't put much in as it was pretty much at level and its been a while since I last topped up water, I had work done/service in july as well. which there was a leak they sorted.


I have noticed kwickfit do an interim service, would this be recommended instead of taking into a normal garage?

tykesi

ktcoil wrote: »

I have noticed kwickfit do an interim service, would this be recommended instead of taking into a normal garage?

Good grief no, take it to someone who knows what they're doing!

Rain_Shadow

ktcoil wrote: »

to be fair with regards to the water, I didn't put much in as it was pretty much at level and its been a while since I last topped up water, I had work done/service in july as well. which there was a leak they sorted.


I have noticed kwickfit do an interim service, would this be recommended instead of taking into a normal garage?

No. Definitely not.

BeenThroughItAll

ktcoil wrote: »

I have noticed kwickfit do an interim service, would this be recommended instead of taking into a normal garage?

Apart from the obvious, that a service isn't going to cure a coolant leak, the answer would be a resounding NO, since Kwik-Fit are a bunch of sales-incentivised, incompetent, hammer-wielding Neanderthals - in almost every single instance.

angrycrow

Don't use kwik fit. I will admit to using them for cheap mot but I pre mot the car myself before doing any work needed and if it turns out I have missed anything I take it home for repairs before the free retest.

Last time I was in a lady was returning her car because the new water pump they fitted was leaking, they tried to argue it was normal to top up coolant after the pump was done so she then showed them the water dripping out of the water pump housing. Was nice to see a female driver put the two mechanics in their place.

Find yourself a good independent recommended by friends or family.