# Coolant evaporating from 2019 Atlas???



## GravelRider (Nov 24, 2020)

Hello all. I'm new here. My wife has a 2019 Atlas V6 SE with 21,000 miles. We bought it new last September.

(TL;DR: dealer says low coolant is from coolant evaporating and is normal. I call BS.)

The low coolant alarm came on. I checked the coolant and it was low in the reservoir, just below the low fill level, but full in the radiator. I looked for leaks and didn't find any, so I figured they must have under-filled it at the dealer when we bought it, and the colder temps were to blame, though wasn't sure about why it didn't do this last winter. I had also changed the oil and checked all the fluids not long ago and don't recall seeing it low, but if it were low-normal, it wouldn't have triggered me to think something was wrong. 

I stopped by two auto parts stores and they didn't carry this new G13 coolant, but said they could order it for $60-70 per gallon. I called around to other stores, and nobody had it. I called my local dealer and set up an appointment to have this looked at as well as fix another warranty issue. It took a couple of weeks to get in. In the meantime, I drove it, keeping a close eye on the levels and the engine temps. It dropped quite a bit lower (but still had fluid in the overflow) over the next couple weeks, with minimal driving. I dropped it off this morning.

I got a call back from the dealer today and they said they did a pressure test and there were no leaks. They said they determined it was due to "improper maintenance" due to not having my "required" 20,000 mile service done by them. I perform my own maintenance on all my vehicles, and always have (though the 10,000 mile service was done. My wife took it in while I was deployed overseas with the army and couldn't work on it). I also know the Magnuson warranty law specifically prohibits them from requiring maintenance from them in order to cover warranty claims. So my BS-o-meter is already in the red. 

Their explanation was that the coolant evaporated and that this new type of coolant is supposed to do that. They said with this vehicle, coolant should be topped off at every oil change. Keeping in mind my past experiences with cars, trucks, and motorcycles, this rings false to me... But that's always been with traditional ethylene glycol coolant.

Cost for the service is about $60. Not terrible, but I was expecting this to be covered under warranty. I didn't see a leak anywhere, and supposedly the pressure test was fine... But if it can pass a pressure test, how can the fluid evaporate out? Could it be a small leak into the engine from the head gasket or somewhere? The oil didn't have any signs of coolant in it though.

Anyhow, is this common? Does this new coolant do this? Or am I being taken for a fool? I haven't stopped in yet to pick up/pay. I wanted to do some more homework first.

Thanks!


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## VitaminVan (Jul 6, 2017)

We had a 2018 SE leased with the same issue. Dealer should check again for leaks, we had the same issue and the dealer had to add coolant 3 times. I finally took it to the dealer where the car was leased from and they found a leak and changed out some of the system.

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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

hmmm...sounds like a flickering LED issue.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Essentially, the system is closed and therefore nothing can evaporate. If the level keeps going down, it's going somewhere -- there's info out there on various people who've had issues with headgaskets leaking on certain VR6 Atlases, which is a possibility with your car, but if that was your case, it'd likely show on a leak test. 

The pink VW coolant does expand and contract noticeably with temperature. Enough to cause a low coolant light. But obviously thermal expansion/contraction isn't the same as a leak.

Keep an eye on it to see if it keeps dropping over time, even if you top it off. If so, there's a leak.


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## GravelRider (Nov 24, 2020)

VitaminVan said:


> We had a 2018 SE leased with the same issue. Dealer should check again for leaks, we had the same issue and the dealer had to add coolant 3 times. I finally took it to the dealer where the car was leased from and they found a leak and changed out some of the system.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk


Thanks for responding. I'll update here if it continues dropping.


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## GravelRider (Nov 24, 2020)

speed51133! said:


> hmmm...sounds like a flickering LED issue.


Is this a forum inside joke? I don't see a relation to my issue here. Thanks.


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## GravelRider (Nov 24, 2020)

mhjett said:


> Essentially, the system is closed and therefore nothing can evaporate. If the level keeps going down, it's going somewhere -- there's info out there on various people who've had issues with headgaskets leaking on certain VR6 Atlases, which is a possibility with your car, but if that was your case, it'd likely show on a leak test.
> 
> The pink VW coolant does expand and contract noticeably with temperature. Enough to cause a low coolant light. But obviously thermal expansion/contraction isn't the same as a leak.
> 
> Keep an eye on it to see if it keeps dropping over time, even if you top it off. If so, there's a leak.


Okay, that's what I was thinking. How can it evaporate if it's a closed system. 

I just don't see where the coolant could have gone. I thought maybe they didn't fill it high enough initially, but how would it pop up here now during its second winter. I was gone all last winter, but I'm assuming my wife would have noticed a big obvious low coolant light and alarm every time she started the engine. So it's hard to imagine it's anything except a leak. 

Regardless of the reason, I really don't feel that I should be charged for this. A new car with only 20k on the odo and needing coolant added should be covered by warranty, right? It's not about the actual cost, it's about the principle of the matter.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

More than likely you have the issue with improperly torqued head bolts. My Atlas continually lost fluid and was pressure tested twice without issue. The most recent trip to the dealer they placed a boroscope in the cylinders and saw signs of coolant. Needless to say they replaced the head. A week later my friend had their cylinder head (or possibly engine, if there is rust in the block they replace the engine) replaced too. The mechanic told me he averaged 2-3 Atlas head replacements per month. Apparently VW outsourced the manufacturing of the VR6 and whoever built them didn’t torque the head bolts properly. He said the engines made through the end of 2018 were affected. By the way, mine had the same mileage that you are at now. I’d take it to another dealership and have a second opinion. It’s a closed system. There could have been air trapped in the system but it’s unlikely after owning it that long.


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## GravelRider (Nov 24, 2020)

shadytheatlas said:


> More than likely you have the issue with improperly torqued head bolts. My Atlas continually lost fluid and was pressure tested twice without issue. The most recent trip to the dealer they placed a boroscope in the cylinders and saw signs of coolant. Needless to say they replaced the head. A week later my friend had their cylinder head (or possibly engine, if there is rust in the block they replace the engine) replaced too. The mechanic told me he averaged 2-3 Atlas head replacements per month. Apparently VW outsourced the manufacturing of the VR6 and whoever built them didn’t torque the head bolts properly. He said the engines made through the end of 2018 were affected. By the way, mine had the same mileage that you are at now. I’d take it to another dealership and have a second opinion. It’s a closed system. There could have been air trapped in the system but it’s unlikely after owning it that long.


I searched and found a long thread on another forum about this. My issues do sound uncomfortably similar to others' complaints on their Atlases with improperly torqued head bolts. When I stop in to tell them I'm not paying them for this warranty service, I'll inquire as to whether they checked on this issue.

Thanks.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

You need to keep track, having it get low over a period isn't really that odd and buying some coolant is an ownership cost - a jug of concentrate is ~$25 online (Pentosin G13). The dealer should not have charged you for a top-off but again, there are ownership costs with a vehicle and not everything is covered as a warranty item. Now that the dealer has done this, keep track and watch it, if it goes low again, have them take a look and do a pressure test as it has to be going somewhere and no, it's normal for a steady loss of coolant from the Atlas with all the known coolant issues VWs in general have. Mine is 3 years old/30K miles and I have topped it off a number of times but it's never gone below 1/2 in the expansion tank. Next time it's in I'll have them take a look but I don't smell coolant or see any leaks....could be the head gasket I suppose but if the worst is that I top it off once every 6 mos. I'm not too worried about it.


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## Zerek (Jun 15, 2001)

Hi All,

I have an 2018 3.6 R-Line and have recently started having the low coolant light issue. I’m traveling for the holidays and have had to top-up the coolant twice in ~1,500 miles. I will be taking it to the dealership upon my return home. I hope they don’t give the BS runaround, but will update afterwards.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Zerek said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have an 2018 3.6 R-Line and have recently started having the low coolant light issue. I’m traveling for the holidays and have had to top-up the coolant twice in ~1,500 miles. I will be taking it to the dealership upon my return home. I hope they don’t give the BS runaround, but will update afterwards.


Definitely not right if you had to top up twice in that short of a time. Good luck, post up details once you take it in.


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## Sugar Bear (Jul 17, 2016)

ive had my coolant light pop up once already. when i did the oil change last week i noticed dried white coolant spots on the belly pan.... will keep an eye out.


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## mike656 (Aug 13, 2018)

GravelRider said:


> I stopped by two auto parts stores and they didn't carry this new G13 coolant, but said they could order it for $60-70 per gallon.


You can get a gallon of genuine VW G13 coolant at the dealer for around $25 depending on area (I paid $25 for mine), its undiluted so you will need to buy a gallon of distilled water also to mix.


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## Atuc (Jun 4, 2017)

My coolant alarm comes on every morning for the past few days I’ve wanted to use the car. Coolant level is just below the line, but it seems to have started since it’s gotten colder. 


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## rhgti1 (Sep 8, 2004)

I just had the water pump replaced on my 2018 V6 Atlas (48K miles).
It was leaking but I never even noticed it (warning light did not come on). The dealership found the leak when I brought it in for an oil change. They noticed signs of coolant leak and did a pressure test that confirmed it.
Pump was replaced under warranty.


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## Eye Candy White (Nov 9, 2006)

Definitely look at the other thread. I've had this issue since ~12K miles, and VW replaced the head gasket at 20K miles and now at 36K miles they're telling me the entire engine is getting replaced.

I'd guess it was likely the improper torqued head bolts to start, and then I'd guess that the head/block are warped from driving that way for a while, and so the new head gasket didn't hold. And here we are with a warped head/block and needing an entirely new engine.

It's very frustrating. My Atlas just went in last Wednesday and apparently the VR6 is on backorder, so it's anyone's guess as to when the car gets a new motor put in it. I'm going to call VW corporate next week and see about them taking the car back - the car is ~2 years old and has been leaking/burning coolant for 36K miles and will have been through a dealer teardown/re-build and now a dealer installed motor. Not ideal for longevity ownership and/or resale value. The thing is a lemon. Huge problems with the early runs of the VR6 in this car, which is really unfortunate.

The dealer put my wife in a '21 Atlas identical to ours, and she said the engine drives so much smoother/nicer/more powerful and the gas mileage seems lightyears better, which can't be a coincidence with how crappy I'd guess our car had been running.


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## big_hot_tamale (Dec 20, 2003)

great... just great. 2018 Sel, 25k, 2nd owner. After just over 2 months ownership now, had the low coolant light come on tonight, after letting it cool down, looks to be an inch below low lvl, parked at 38deg F outside. I swore I could smell coolant faintly from driver side since taking ownership of it (after owning 20+ mk1s and mk2s I know that smell like a leprechaun knows Irish Spring) but no leaks visible and no drips so I passed it off as nothing. Can't wait to get the runaround at the dealership a few times before they finally decide to do something about it.

Also found a very small puddle of reddish oily liquid below rear engine location today so what did I do, instinctively wipe it away with a rag then realize doh, should have saved a sample, now I have no idea if it was oil, trans, or steering... Can't get back under there to look (skid cover looks dry) until those jack adapters get here... scared to jack by the pinch welds and apparently my stupid new covid belly isn't letting me slide under there that far.

Thanks for the links to the jack point adapters!


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## Eye Candy White (Nov 9, 2006)

big_hot_tamale said:


> great... just great. 2018 Sel, 25k, 2nd owner. After just over 2 months ownership now, had the low coolant light come on tonight, after letting it cool down, looks to be an inch below low lvl, parked at 38deg F outside. I swore I could smell coolant faintly from driver side since taking ownership of it (after owning 20+ mk1s and mk2s I know that smell like a leprechaun knows Irish Spring) but no leaks visible and no drips so I passed it off as nothing. Can't wait to get the runaround at the dealership a few times before they finally decide to do something about it.
> 
> Also found a very small puddle of reddish oily liquid below rear engine location today so what did I do, instinctively wipe it away with a rag then realize doh, should have saved a sample, now I have no idea if it was oil, trans, or steering... Can't get back under there to look (skid cover looks dry) until those jack adapters get here... scared to jack by the pinch welds and apparently my stupid new covid belly isn't letting me slide under there that far.
> 
> Thanks for the links to the jack point adapters!


Yeah, sorry to hear, but this sounds quite common unfortunately. The last straw was last week my wife pulled in the garage and I could smell the burning coolant from the engine bay. We never really had puddles on the ground - seems to be mostly an internal leak into the combustion chamber. :-(

No worries on jacking up on the pinch welds - that's what they're there for. I've used them on every car I've had, and have never had any issues with them flattening or leading to corrosion. Live in the midwest fwiw. I bought one of the hockey pucks for my jack to try and use, but it's too soft and makes me feel like it's unstable/not safe, so I'm back to just using the pinch welds for routine tire swaps, etc (even on my 2019 Golf R).


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## 0macman0 (Nov 6, 2017)

My low coolant light has come on once every winter since new, and I can also smell the coolant when I walk around the front of the car. Odd part is, I think the degas bottle cap is bad, because the top of my coolant bottle is very crusty. Other than that I haven’t found coolant anywhere else.


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## Eye Candy White (Nov 9, 2006)

Careful with that - I'd still get the car checked out and report the issue to VW. Ours didn't show evidence of leaking anywhere (it was leaking into the engine). Get the reservoir cap checked out, and otherwise coolant shouldn't just disappear - it's a closed system. Maaaaaybe a little fluctuation with temperatures change, but I wouldn't expect a ton of that either.


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## Jhawkcclux (Mar 10, 2011)

Just had my ‘19 in. Low levels light was intermittent. I asked for a pressure check, said they found a small leak in overflow res. and changed it out. Only been a few days, but haven’t smelled coolant yet. Visually, I could see nothing that looked like a leak (no drops or drips)


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

I always smell coolant in the garage after a drive. NEVER happened with my other cars.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

speed51133! said:


> I always smell coolant in the garage after a drive. NEVER happened with my other cars.


Me too. Always. Had it checked last week and they said the pressure test showed nothing. My leak must be tiny because I've never noticed a drop in coolant level.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

I smell coolant with my Audi and Atlas (even after the head replacement). Neither have leaks. Both have been pressure tested and no leaks (keep in mind the head was replaced on the Atlas after being pressure tested 2 times and no leaks found). The washer fluid on VWs smells just like coolant and seems to smell stronger when hot. Maybe that’s what everyone is smelling?


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

trust me, I know what coolant smells like.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

speed51133! said:


> trust me, I know what coolant smells like.


 I said the same thing until I couldn’t find a leak and neither could 2 dealerships on 2 VWs. Not saying you don’t have a leak, but the smell is very strong. There would have to be a very visible leak. The Audi has smelled that way for 6 years and there are zero leaks. There is something intrinsic about the design on my VW and Audi that causes this. Also I only smell it when the engine is hot. Doesn’t coolant smell when it’s cold?


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

shadytheatlas said:


> The washer fluid on VWs smells just like coolant and seems to smell stronger when hot. Maybe that’s what everyone is smelling?


Our 2018 (bought new in Sept 2018 with 14 miles on it) had a coolant-like smell wafting from the left front grille area for a long time which seemed to correspond to heat, and more specifically, ambient temp and not necessarily engine temp. At 32k miles on our Atlas, there's zero coolant loss (with the exception that I had to top it off just once). As we've had it longer, I've used up some of the factory washer fluid and refilled with other stuff and it seems like that smell has died down.

I also know what hot coolant smells like.

Given my experience, and that my smell in my case was distinctly from only the left front, and that it seems from forum talk like some people have coolant smell without coolant or head gasket issues, my theory is that the OEM VW washer fluid can give off a coolant-like smell when hot. I think the washer bottle is fairly close to the radiator, too, which probably exacerbates it.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

so switch to cheapo washer fluid or water to see if it is gone.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Coolant smells when it's cold (as does washer fluid), but the smell just doesn't "waft" as much as when it's hot.


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## kennetht (Jan 4, 2021)

Hey all, just had my low coolant warning appear on the dash this morning for the first time (im currently up in Vermont, the overnight temps last night were in the teens). 

When I changed my oil last month I noticed the coolant was right at the low line on the reservoir. I planned on adding some to the reservoir, but I havent yet. However, being up in Vermont right now, where the overnight temps have been in the teens, I figure that is the reason that the coolant level has dropped well below the low level line.

I plan on driving home to NY on Friday, I figure i'll be able to make that drive no problem, as when the car warms up the coolant level rises to just below the low level line in the reservoir.

My coolant is pink in the reservoir now, I read the manual and it says G13 coolant is the recommended coolant. 

What coolants have you guys added to your Atlas? And where can I purchase it?

Thanks!


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Yep, it's G13 and it's pink. You can get it at any VW or Audi dealer.

FYI, the pink VW coolant does expand and contract with temperature enough to change the level reading in the overflow tank. And there's a signifcant volume of coolant in the Atlas, given the rear HVAC circuit. It's also not unheard of to have to top the coolant off on occasion even if there's nothing wrong. If I were you, given those two considerations and that you're in such cold temps, I'd just top it off and keep an eye on it. If it drops again, have a dealer check it out.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

kennetht what is your year, build date, and miles?


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## kennetht (Jan 4, 2021)

mhjett said:


> Yep, it's G13 and it's pink. You can get it at any VW or Audi dealer.
> 
> FYI, the pink VW coolant does expand and contract with temperature enough to change the level reading in the overflow tank. And there's a signifcant volume of coolant in the Atlas, given the rear HVAC circuit. It's also not unheard of to have to top the coolant off on occasion even if there's nothing wrong. If I were you, given those two considerations and that you're in such cold temps, I'd just top it off and keep an eye on it. If it drops again, have a dealer check it out.


Thanks for the prompt reply. I went with this one from Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015Y87EBU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_qAxcGbHWDXXC2

Says it is:

*Factory Approval:*
VW TL 774 J (compatible to G13)
*Compatible with the following manufactures and part numbers:*
VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Bentley, Lamborghini
VW/Audi TL 774-J (G13)

Which that is exactly what the manual says. 

This should be good right to use to top off the reservoir. 

Thanks for all the help.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Yep, good choice. How many miles on your car?


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## kennetht (Jan 4, 2021)

shadytheatlas said:


> kennetht what is your year, build date, and miles?





mhjett said:


> Yep, good choice. How many miles on your car?


2019 Atlas SEL. Purchased it little over a month ago. 14k miles. Where would I find the build date? Door jam sticker right?


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

kennetht said:


> 2019 Atlas SEL. Purchased it little over a month ago. 14k miles. Where would I find the build date? Door jam sticker right?


Yep - example:


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

The VW mechanic who helped replace the head on my Atlas said the improperly torqued head bolt issue affected V6s produced through the end of 2018. That’s why I’m curious about dates.

From what I can tell anywhere from about 5k to 20k seems to be when the issue becomes apparent.

If you are low on coolant I would have it pressure tested AND have the inside of the cylinders looked at.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

I've read various things about dates for the head bolt torque theory. I wonder what "end" of 2018 means. But I would think it'd be more accurate to go by build date of the engine rather than the car... Anyway, our car was built in August 2018 but at 32k miles currently but doesn't seem to be affected. 

As for kennetht, since yours is a 2019, it seems odds are that you wouldn't have the issue.


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## kennetht (Jan 4, 2021)

mhjett said:


> Yep - example:


Mine was manufactured 04/2019


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## walksonair (Aug 29, 2017)

FWIW, I had low coolant warnings where I had to refill the entire coolant tank. Turns out the water pump was leaking from slowly to streams. 60K 2018 V6 and dealer replaced the pump under warranty. FYI.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

walksonair said:


> FWIW, I had low coolant warnings where I had to refill the entire coolant tank. Turns out the water pump was leaking from slowly to streams. 60K 2018 V6 and dealer replaced the pump under warranty. FYI.


Same - slow loss over time but finally started leaving a puddle and it was the water pump. Replaced no-drama under warranty. 2018 3.6 VR.


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## Hedgehodge (Nov 7, 2008)

Cover your arse and have your oil tested on change out with Blackstone labs and ask if they see any signs of coolant..mine hasn't and been doing it since day one. I've had same issue and they redid head gasket and same issue and now they changed water pump and aux water pump.... We will see 2018 vr6 4motion


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## Hedgehodge (Nov 7, 2008)

Sounds like they were all faulty water pumps from the start and slowly wore down and are showing it's colors now. They checked it before and saw nothing before doing head gasket. Or two issues... Sounds like another mkiv plastic impeller Bs issue or along the lines


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

I have stated elsewhere on this forum that the cooling system is a closed system and should not lose coolant. I’d like to correct that statement and say that apparently a percentage of the water in the system does evaporate over time. I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here, but apparently the level could drop from evaporation. Obviously it fluctuates from temperature changes.

Along these lines, I just noticed how much larger the coolant reservoir on my A4 is than the Atlas. I find it so strange that VW used such a small reservoir with a large engine and radiator. We don’t have a lot of room for variability in temperature and levels and the low coolant sensor.


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## KWH (11 mo ago)

shadytheatlas said:


> More than likely you have the issue with improperly torqued head bolts. My Atlas continually lost fluid and was pressure tested twice without issue. The most recent trip to the dealer they placed a boroscope in the cylinders and saw signs of coolant. Needless to say they replaced the head. A week later my friend had their cylinder head (or possibly engine, if there is rust in the block they replace the engine) replaced too. The mechanic told me he averaged 2-3 Atlas head replacements per month. Apparently VW outsourced the manufacturing of the VR6 and whoever built them didn’t torque the head bolts properly. He said the engines made through the end of 2018 were affected. By the way, mine had the same mileage that you are at now. I’d take it to another dealership and have a second opinion. It’s a closed system. There could have been air trapped in the system but it’s unlikely after owning it that long.


Thank you for posting! I recently had same issue with 2019 SE that OP is describing. I will take a look at this issue. 


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## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

Ours also loses coolant. I fill it every 10k miles or so. 

We have other problems that concern me more. 

If the slight coolant leak is just that (slight) then I’ll suck it up. If it causes other issues (catalytic converter or performance) I’ll create a stink. 


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

@nater what year is your Atlas?


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## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

shadytheatlas said:


> @nater what year is your Atlas?


2018


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

@nater have you considered a pressure test? it’s my understanding that if the head gasket leaks too long it will create rust in the block and VW recommends an engine replacement instead of a new head and gasket.


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## M3Tech (Jan 26, 2007)

nater said:


> Ours also loses coolant. I fill it every 10k miles or so.
> 
> We have other problems that concern me more.
> 
> ...


Understood that you have other problems that concern you more. 

As you can read in this thread, either the water pump or the head gasket is leaking coolant. You should tell your dealer to fix it and give you a loaner while they do it, they know exactly what's going on but decided to play dumb for the last 3 years. They can turn around and blame you for any damages to the car or even ding you at trade in time for this VW defect.

Ask me how I know.


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## Syndicated (Feb 4, 2013)

Ok, let’s clear something up.

I noticed a few people said the coolant system is closed off, this is wrong, or you would not be able to add coolant.

The only system that is sealed off is the HVAC system.

No, chances are your Atlas does not have a leak, G13 and G12evo are designed to burn off in between services. The best guess reason why I figured it out working at Audi as a tech is because it helps to control sledge build up.

The Q3’s were notorious for sledging coolant, and required coolant flushes and new expansion tanks so often we stocked the tanks in a huge box at parts.

The dealership is correct in that every service the tech is required to top off the coolant, either with water or more coolant. This is common practice at all services.

Unless you can physically see white tracer lines, or puddles of coolant, your coolant just got low, and I’d advise you too it off every 10,000 miles or 1 year, per service handbook.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

I was at the dealership today and they had an 18 or a 19 in the service bay with the front end off and the head laying beside the vehicle. I wanted to ask the service manager if he knew what percentage were affected but he was busy. If anyone else can catch a service manager it would be interesting to see if they would tell you what percentage of 18 and 19 were affected, or how many heads they have replaced.


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## rlyglf (Nov 2, 2018)

Dealer will be looking into the same issue when I get the most recent recall performed. Fingers crossed


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## Myballzich (4 mo ago)

I have a 2021 VW Atlas SE V6 and they are replacing the head gasket due to coolant leak. Was hoping the 2021’s were not affected by this.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

@Myballzich I hate it for you. Yours is the first post 2019 I’ve heard of with the issue.


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## go4diesel (4 mo ago)

shadytheatlas said:


> I was at the dealership today and they had an 18 or a 19 in the service bay with the front end off and the head laying beside the vehicle. I wanted to ask the service manager if he knew what percentage were affected but he was busy. If anyone else can catch a service manager it would be interesting to see if they would tell you what percentage of 18 and 19 were affected, or how many heads they have replaced.


Ever find out?


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

@go4diesel no i didn’t. I went recently to get parts and asked the guy in the parts department how often they ordered the parts needed for head replacements on the Atlas. He looked at me and said he never heard of the issue. Then he hollers over and asked a mechanic about it, and the mechanic hollered back, “Oh yeah we do them all the time. It was an issue with improperly torqued head bolts on the 18 and 19s.”. So who knows. I’m guessing it was most of the 18s sold and early 19s. There are a lot of people on here who lose coolant and deny it. I’ve owned 15+ cars and might have added coolant to one of them once. The dealership has added coolant every time my Atlas has been to the dealership.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

Mine was the water pump.

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## Jasonckneese (Dec 7, 2012)

I have a 2018 3.6 and they've replaced the head twice in two years due to the coolant leak. They were only going to do the gasket the second time, but said warranty paid for it so they did the head also. Service advisor did say he's seen a lot of it.

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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

shadytheatlas said:


> *I have stated elsewhere on this forum that the cooling system is a closed system and should not lose coolant. I’d like to correct that statement and say that apparently a percentage of the water in the system does evaporate over time.* I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here, but apparently the level could drop from evaporation. Obviously it fluctuates from temperature changes.
> 
> Along these lines, I just noticed how much larger the coolant reservoir on my A4 is than the Atlas. I find it so strange that VW used such a small reservoir with a large engine and radiator. We don’t have a lot of room for variability in temperature and levels and the low coolant sensor.





Syndicated said:


> Ok, let’s clear something up.
> 
> *I noticed a few people said the coolant system is closed off, this is wrong, or you would not be able to add coolant.*
> 
> ...





shadytheatlas said:


> @go4diesel no i didn’t. I went recently to get parts and asked the guy in the parts department how often they ordered the parts needed for head replacements on the Atlas. He looked at me and said he never heard of the issue. Then he hollers over and asked a mechanic about it, and the mechanic hollered back, “Oh yeah we do them all the time. It was an issue with improperly torqued head bolts on the 18 and 19s.”. So who knows. I’m guessing it was most of the 18s sold and early 19s. There are a lot of people on here who lose coolant and deny it. *I’ve owned 15+ cars and might have added coolant to one of them once.* The dealership has added coolant every time my Atlas has been to the dealership.


.

The cooling system is indeed a closed system. Pertaining to HVAC the cooling side is also a closed system. Closed not meaning if you can or can't open it. Some cooling systems, mainly Frigs are hermetically sealed but even some of those have high and low side valves (different for diff refrigerants) as in cars for pressure checks and adding refrigerant when leak repairs are done. Freon is a trade mark and not any particular refrigerant.

Back to the cooling system, if there is any evaporation it will be condensed back into the system. Expansion tank cap, hose, water pump, head gasket and any place in the system that is compromised you'll need top off or never should you have to.

When I took my 2020 Tiguan for the first of two complimentary oil change the young VW Service Writer try to tell me about evaporation. Told him no, I smell it and if VW is t(s)elling this concept to you we really don't have the same science to speak about this issue. Felt bad for him as he seemed so confident in his answer and I'm sure most owner's take his word. Another Service Writer overhead and went to get the Service Manager who use to wrench. Told him I studied HVAC besides a short stint at Acura. He said to bring it back in for a pressure test.

Brother call today asking about dealer topping off coolant with each service on the 19 Atlas SE Tech Package V6 4Motion I used to own but his now. Told him WP or head gasket is what people are experiencing. Since he purchased 2 other cars at the servicing dealership they treat him well and he has access to the techs who let him know whatever it take to fix any problems found. It's got 40K, 30K of which is under his watch from Feb 01. The leak is from the high to low mark in 5K miles which is the interval he likes to have the oil changed at. Will see if my brother will press for a more thorough look next time he brings it in.
.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

Jasonckneese said:


> I have a 2018 3.6 and they've replaced the head twice in two years due to the coolant leak. They were only going to do the gasket the second time, but said warranty paid for it so they did the head also. Service advisor did say he's seen a lot of it.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk


So the head was replaced twice or just the second time? The head was replaced on mine and my coolant continues to drop. It’s been pressure tested twice and no issues were found. I think I’m going to have to take it to another dealer. I’ll be out of warranty in a year and really don’t want to have to pay out of pocket if it’s still leaking.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

Mine goes in for losing coolant next week. It always smelled like coolant in my garage when new. In the last month or so it no longer smells, but the coolant "bulb" is just about empty. I get the warning light every morning. It is not overheating. I don't want to top it off for the dealer to say, "everything looks good".


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

speed51133! said:


> Mine goes in for losing coolant next week. It always smelled like coolant in my garage when new. In the last month or so it no longer smells, but the coolant "bulb" is just about empty. I get the warning light every morning. It is not overheating. I don't want to top it off for the dealer to say, "everything looks good".


Agreed, I will monitor mine ('21.5 SEL R-Line, 28k miles) as well and then bring it up at the 30k visit in the next few weeks. I received a call from my wife this AM that she had a coolant warning when she started the car today. I had her jump on a video call and saw that the coolant level was below the min line by maybe 1/4"-1/2", hard to tell from the video. Anyway, with no evidence that any coolant leaked onto the driveway and no smell the last time I drove it this past weekend, I said to just head in to work. The warning light turned off and the coolant light remained off for the duration of her 1 hour 20+ minute commute.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

mtbsteve said:


> Agreed, I will monitor mine ('21.5 SEL R-Line, 28k miles) as well and then bring it up at the 30k visit in the next few weeks. I received a call from my wife this AM that she had a coolant warning when she started the car today. I had her jump on a video call and saw that the coolant level was below the min line by maybe 1/4"-1/2", hard to tell from the video. Anyway, with no evidence that any coolant leaked onto the driveway and no smell the last time I drove it this past weekend, I said to just head in to work. The warning light turned off and the coolant light remained off for the duration of her 1 hour 20+ minute commute.


Yep, over time it will just stay on


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## Jasonckneese (Dec 7, 2012)

shadytheatlas said:


> So the head was replaced twice or just the second time? The head was replaced on mine and my coolant continues to drop. It’s been pressure tested twice and no issues were found. I think I’m going to have to take it to another dealer. I’ll be out of warranty in a year and really don’t want to have to pay out of pocket if it’s still leaking.


They replaced the head both times. Both times I smelt coolant at the exhaust and then got the low level light. They pulled the plugs and scoped the cylinders, finding one to have coolant residue. He said they were just going to do the gasket the second time, but VWoA said to go ahead and do the head since it was covered under warranty.

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## Jasonckneese (Dec 7, 2012)

speed51133! said:


> Mine goes in for losing coolant next week. It always smelled like coolant in my garage when new. In the last month or so it no longer smells, but the coolant "bulb" is just about empty. I get the warning light every morning. It is not overheating. I don't want to top it off for the dealer to say, "everything looks good".


Be careful topping it off. If not using VW's specific coolant, I was told they'll try to deny warranty claims if what you use could potentially damage the system. Was told this by my VW mechanic that I use for non-warranty stuff. I trust him more. Lol

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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

Jasonckneese said:


> Be careful topping it off. If not using VW's specific coolant, I was told they'll try to deny warranty claims if what you use could potentially damage the system. Was told this by my VW mechanic that I use for non-warranty stuff. I trust him more. Lol
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk


Did they give you any reason why the first repair failed? Is there any reason to suspect a 3rd head replacement, lol?


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## Jasonckneese (Dec 7, 2012)

shadytheatlas said:


> Did they give you any reason why the first repair failed? Is there any reason to suspect a 3rd head replacement, lol?


Nope, no reasoning. It was pressure tested in-between failures and passed. They were about a year apart. As long as it's in the next 7k miles when my CPO warranty expires. Lol. Although, at this point, I believe I'd have a valid argument if it needed replacement after the warranty expires.

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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

Jasonckneese said:


> Be careful topping it off. If not using VW's specific coolant, I was told they'll try to deny warranty claims if what you use could potentially damage the system. Was told this by my VW mechanic that I use for non-warranty stuff. I trust him more. Lol
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk


Ok, I was going to use peanut butter


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

Jasonckneese said:


> Nope, no reasoning. It was pressure tested in-between failures and passed. They were about a year apart. As long as it's in the next 7k miles when my CPO warranty expires. Lol. Although, at this point, I believe I'd have a valid argument if it needed replacement after the warranty expires.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk


I’m in the same boat. Head replaced once and coolant topped off multiple times since. It’s been pressure tested at least twice since the head was replaced and passed. The dealership topped the coolant off in August and it’s already halfway between min and max. I have a feeling there is another repair in my future….


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## Veedubgti (Mar 5, 2001)

The problem is when the dealership "pressure tests the system", they aren't testing the overflow cap as well. Chances are your cap is faulty and releasing vapors, but never being tested, during said test.


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## 0macman0 (Nov 6, 2017)

I have to top mine off every year, about 750ml. Disappears in cold winter weather. I think the coolant cap theory holds water is mine gets coolant crusties around it, but on the flip side I would not be surprised is that’s because of pressurization from combustion since these do have head gasket issues.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

@0macman0 I have white residue around the cap too. I figured it’s from it being topped off 6-7 times in 5 years.

I’ve noticed on mine I can unscrew the cap and hear air blowing out (or in). The coolant level will rise temporarily after the pressure normalizes. Does anyone know why that happens? I figured there was air in the system somewhere.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

shadytheatlas said:


> @0macman0 I have white residue around the cap too. I figured it’s from it being topped off 6-7 times in 5 years.
> 
> I’ve noticed on mine I can unscrew the cap and hear air blowing out (or in). The coolant level will rise temporarily after the pressure normalizes. Does anyone know why that happens? I figured there was air in the system somewhere.



Probably because the system is pressurized when hot. Open the cap and the pressure releases and coolant level changes, because the air in the reservoir was compressed.


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

Brought mine in at 28k miles, a little early for the 3rd service on it. Coolant warning went on a few days earlier. Hard to tell if the level is actually at the top of the orange line or actually more towards the bottom half of it where it is darker. Surprised to see that much missing, no coolant smell, didn't notice any residue on the dipstick and none on the driveway. Around 20k service it was sitting at the bottom min line. The dealer did a pressure test and said all was good, still trying to figure out where the coolant is going, I don't recall ever having a car drink this much in even double or triple the mileage.


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## Syndicated (Feb 4, 2013)

mtbsteve said:


> Brought mine in at 28k miles, a little early for the 3rd service on it. Coolant warning went on a few days earlier. Hard to tell if the level is actually at the top of the orange line or actually more towards the bottom half of it where it is darker. Surprised to see that much missing, no coolant smell, didn't notice any residue on the dipstick and none on the driveway. Around 20k service it was sitting at the bottom min line. The dealer did a pressure test and said all was good, still trying to figure out where the coolant is going, I don't recall ever having a car drink this much in even double or triple the mileage.
> 
> View attachment 230718


Take a look at the reso bottle, all that white stuff is coolant that has been exposed to air, and dried out which means it may be seeping from the seems of the bottle (I have seen this quite a few times before).

Sometimes the pressure tests fail in a spectacular fashion. I had a 3.0t diesel that would not fail under pressure, with either the car running, or under the pressure test, but if the car was turned off and had a warm engine it would ooze out of the water pump, and oil separator.


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## Veedubgti (Mar 5, 2001)

If you are losing coolant, but your pressure test "passed", but they did not actually test the CAP ITSELF.....there you go.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

mtbsteve said:


> Brought mine in at 28k miles, a little early for the 3rd service on it. Coolant warning went on a few days earlier. Hard to tell if the level is actually at the top of the orange line or actually more towards the bottom half of it where it is darker. Surprised to see that much missing, no coolant smell, didn't notice any residue on the dipstick and none on the driveway. Around 20k service it was sitting at the bottom min line. The dealer did a pressure test and said all was good, still trying to figure out where the coolant is going, I don't recall ever having a car drink this much in even double or triple the mileage.
> 
> View attachment 230718


.
Almost positive it's from the cap. The question is whether the cap is defective or is it a head gasket causing the cap to release the extra pressure. That coolant looks suspect also as it's a little milky rather than the normal clearer reddish color.

See if the local auto store has an adapter to fit the VW wide mouth expansion tank. The kit was free to borrow at Advance but you have to purchase the fluid. Dealership was probably just testing the cooling system pressure but may not be enough to locate a small head gasket leak.

.






.


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

I will make a note to mark the level as seen today so I can use that as a reference going forward. I noticed some of you mentioned the cap previously, I will keep an eye on that as well. The SA would not go into detail of exactly how it was tested and unfortunately I had to run out to make another appt so I didn't press him more on it. I have to go back to get a new rear hatch switch when it comes in so I can ask again.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

mtbsteve said:


> I will make a note to mark the level as seen today so I can use that as a reference going forward. I noticed some of you mentioned the cap previously, I will keep an eye on that as well. The SA would not go into detail of exactly how it was tested and unfortunately I had to run out to make another appt so I didn't press him more on it. I have to go back to get a new rear hatch switch when it comes in so I can ask again.


For safety when hot, ease of inspection and longevity of the cooling system most cars use an expansion tank rather than the traditional radiator and cap on top of the radiator. In order for you to properly check consumption you need to check it when cold and at the same location on level ground that is each time. Checking hot vs cold will not provide a proper gauge whether you've lost coolant. Use the blue painter's tape as your level mark so it's easier to check also.

.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

just dropped off my car at the dealer for this. Second I pull in the service guy unscrews the coolant bulb cap and says it looks good.......


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

mhjett said:


> Probably because the system is pressurized when hot. Open the cap and the pressure releases and coolant level changes, because the air in the reservoir was compressed.





mtbsteve said:


> I will make a note to mark the level as seen today so I can use that as a reference going forward. I noticed some of you mentioned the cap previously, I will keep an eye on that as well. The SA would not go into detail of exactly how it was tested and unfortunately I had to run out to make another appt so I didn't press him more on it. I have to go back to get a new rear hatch switch when it comes in so I can ask again.





OmegaVW said:


> For safety when hot, ease of inspection and longevity of the cooling system most cars use an expansion tank rather than the traditional radiator and cap on top of the radiator. In order for you to properly check consumption you need to check it when cold and at the same location on level ground that is each time. Checking hot vs cold will not provide a proper gauge whether you've lost coolant. Use the blue painter's tape as your level mark so it's easier to check also.
> 
> .


Just for the sake of discussion and on the topic of coolant level in the reservoir -- mine was at "min" when hot and I just slowly opened the cap (releasing pressure) and the level jumped right back up to "max."

Guess the only moral of that story is that reservoir level can and does vary considerably with temp and pressure.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

OmegaVW said:


> For safety when hot, ease of inspection and longevity of the cooling system most cars use an expansion tank rather than the traditional radiator and cap on top of the radiator. In order for you to properly check consumption you need to check it when cold and at the same location on level ground that is each time. Checking hot vs cold will not provide a proper gauge whether you've lost coolant. Use the blue painter's tape as your level mark so it's easier to check also.





mhjett said:


> Just for the sake of discussion and on the topic of coolant level in the reservoir -- mine was at "min" when hot and I just slowly opened the cap (releasing pressure) and the level jumped right back up to "max."
> Guess the only moral of that story is that reservoir level can and does vary considerably with temp and pressure.


Thanks for confirming the level difference between hot vs cold. Per Ideal Gas Law Formula PV=nRT, when temp goes up the pressure does also. 
P = pressure V = volume n = number of moles T = temperature R = gas constant
.


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## MJG44 (Feb 21, 2018)

I have a 2.0t 2018 that I just purchased and my local vw independent shop just told me they found a small leak in the water pump. Eveything I have seen on this thread is only talking about the vr6. Did the 2.0 have these issues too? It still is under the factory warranty and I am thinking of bringing it to the dealer to get it taken care of but they said it was a small leak and I want to make sure the dealer won’t tell me it’s not bad enough to replace as I’ve never had to deal with my water pump on any of my past VWs. With this small leak what should I ask them to do? I would appreciate any advice/knowledge you can offer. Thanks!


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

@MJG44 this thread is primarily about leaking head gaskets. This issue was specific to 2018 and 2019 VR6s.

Your issue, the leaky water pump seems to be specific to all VWs across many years for various reasons. If it were me I’d replace the water pump.

Apparently Audi and VW are getting sued over water pump leaks. This article mentions reimbursement.









2022 Volkswagen & Audi Water Pump Class Action Lawsuit - Your Lemon Law Rights®


If you own a Volkswagen or Audi vehicle, you may be implicated in this suit! Contact Krohn & Moss, Ltd. to opt-out and secure the compensation you deserve.




www.yourlemonlawrights.com


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

Well, after about 2 weeks of the new water pump, my Atlas is again with low coolant. Warning light on non-stop and the reservoir is low.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

speed51133! said:


> Well, after about 2 weeks of the new water pump, my Atlas is again with low coolant. Warning light on non-stop and the reservoir is low.


Maybe your system burped some air (that'd be the best scenario).


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

mhjett said:


> Maybe your system burped some air (that'd be the best scenario).


maybe, but it smells like coolant again any time I drive it.


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