No Water Coolant Left?!?!

[sjfield1]

Anyone else had any trouble with their water coolant running out? Got a new mini in May, but have just had the overheating light come on and checked the coolant and its empty! Its only ran out since thurs, as a driving instructor my pupils have to check it for their test. Anyone else had trouble? :confused:

Last car was the oil running out, now its the coolant - well at least water is a little bit less expensive than oil lol :D

Sara-Jayne Field

Penicuik

[MrMischief]

Have you noticed any under-car leaks? Try filling it carefully without spilling anything to see if you can spot any obvious leaks from anywhere. Otherwise, you may have a holed radiator or a split hose that only leaks when the system is warmed up & under pressure.

Alternatively, your water pump bearing may have given up the ghost - although very unlikely in a new car - or you may have a headgasket issue - also unlikely unless your learners have been hammering it :hand:

Also when you fill it up, try not to use water as it may corrode gaskets etc. Use a bmw approved coolant mix - it may not be cheaper than oil :eyes up:

Will be interesting to see the diagnosis...good luck :thumbs up:

Steve

[ianking]

SJ

I had this issues with Sarahs R56 cooper last year. We only kept it about 10 months or so but it often had the over heating light come on and it regularly took a good litre of water. There was never any evidence of a leak though and no signs of water mixing with the oil. It was a mystery where it was going.

[sjfield1]

Thanks for the reply. I park it in the same spot everyday and have not noticed any water coming out, although its not been the driest of weekends so maybe its just not been obvious.

I will give the garage a call tomorrow, hopefully wil be able to get it checked on Wednesday. Do you think that water will be ok to put in just now? To get me to the garage, dont want it to do anymore damage if it over heats again?

Why can i never have a nice mini that nothing goes wrong?:frown:

[sjfield1]

SJ

I had this issues with Sarahs R56 cooper last year. We only kept it about 10 months or so but it often had the over heating light come on and it regularly took a good litre of water. There was never any evidence of a leak though and no signs of water mixing with the oil. It was a mystery where it was going.
hey Iain, i had the same problem with my last Blue Mini but with oil. Went through a full engine of oil in the space of 2 months, and guess what? they couldnt find anything wrong. so i got rid of it, coz it was costing too much filling it up all the time. Now the coolant has run out and i know i am going to get exactly the same answer - we are sorry but there is nothing wrong with it!!

[ianking]

You will be fine with just water in it at this time of year for a couple of days.

Is that your 2nd R56 then?

[MrMischief]

Thanks for the reply. I park it in the same spot everyday and have not noticed any water coming out, although its not been the driest of weekends so maybe its just not been obvious.

I will give the garage a call tomorrow, hopefully wil be able to get it checked on Wednesday. Do you think that water will be ok to put in just now? To get me to the garage, dont want it to do anymore damage if it over heats again?

Why can i never have a nice mini that nothing goes wrong?:frown:

Yes, definitely better to run it with just water than run it dry :eek:

I had a new MR2 Roadster a few years ago, well in 2001, when they weren't long out. It used oil like nobody's business - couldn't see it burning as the catalysts run at such a high temperature it was very nearly complete combustion & ended up having 2 new shortblocks before they discovered a choked oilway in the cylinder head that caused starvation & ruined the piston rings, scoring the bores & creating major piston slap :frown: Apparently the shortblocks came in at £6500 a pop at the time, was glad of the warranty & got rid as soon as it ran out :Whistle:

If nothing went wrong they'd have no character :argh::laugh:

Steve

[sjfield1]

Yeah Iain, thats my second one

The last one was running like a diesel! No one would believe me when i took it to the garage. Kept telling me that it had been checked over. They even had it for a full day and still nothing! Ended up they found that the oil sensor wasnt working (although it was a load of rubbish as thats the only reason i knew it was running out!!) But when i was in the garage i went to the sales room and got a great trade in price! drove away the next month with a PROPER sounding mini, its like heaven.

I was getting to the point where i thought they were taking the p*ss and took Gareth with me to explain but even then they still werent listening. So my moto is now - if its Broke, get a new one! lol

SJ

[ianking]

Yeah ive had some R56 issues as well. Both with the cooper Sarah had and the dark silver S that I had.

Traded the S in last week for a 130i M Sport but also bought an old 52 plate cooper in pepper white so that I can still have a MINI to go about in.

[rpn]

I have the same problem about 1 year ago. Have to refill twice over a period of one month. Strange thing, it hasn't happen again since. :confused:

[sjfield1]

I just get annoyed that they dont listen to you! you must feel the same. I am on my 5th one now and i know them off by heart but that doesnt seem to matter to them. Where have you bought your new cars from?

[ianking]

We are on MINI no. 8 now. Bought the white MINI private sale. I went down to Birmingham for it. Bought the BMW from Eastern.

[sjfield1]

well i went back to Dunedin (Peter Vardy now) which i swore i would never do, but thought i would give them a shot as they have been bought over. Pretty decent sales guy which makes a change from the last lot. But hate going to the service area. Its a bit protentious. I felt like i couldnt just sit there and be left alone. Was made a fuss about - tea? coffee? cake? juice? LEAVE me alone LOL. Thats the reason i went the sales dept - to get away from all the questions. Is it like that at Eastern? SJ

[sjfield1]

I have the same problem about 1 year ago. Have to refill twice over a period of one month. Strange thing, it hasn't happen again since. :confused:
That is strange rpn, i hope my problem is the same! Cant have my car off the road for long. This new R56 has casued me so many probs compared to the old model.

SJ

[sjfield1]

Well, an update. Took the car to get fixed on tues, got it back wednesday and the coolant ran out by friday again. So its now been in the garage since saturday. Was supposed to get it back yesterday but the replaced the water bottle, but that didnt fix it and had to order another part. Do garages not keep parts in them? anything that is ever wrong with my car always has to be ordered in.

Fingers crossed when i go down at 11.30 today that its already for me. Losing money by not having a car for work and they dont seem to realise. :frown:

[ianking]

I noticed you have had an Oxygen Blue One at your house the last couple days. Must have been the courtesy car then.

[cooper-chick]

Anyone else had any trouble with their water coolant running out? Got a new mini in May, but have just had the overheating light come on and checked the coolant and its empty! Its only ran out since thurs, as a driving instructor my pupils have to check it for their test. Anyone else had trouble? :confused:

Last car was the oil running out, now its the coolant - well at least water is a little bit less expensive than oil lol :D

Sara-Jayne Field

Penicuik

Ooooo Ooooo Oooooo i had this problem on my mini cooper s. I had no water. It kept runnning out all the time and my temp gauge went weird too. I took it to JOhn Clark and they discovered i had a coolant leak and ordered a part and its all fixed now :D

[Smitty]

I've just recently had a major coolant leak fixed on my car, and my mum had to get a small leak fixed on hers.

With both cars, after the fix, I've had to fill the coolant up, but only once, a few days after the fixes.

When I went to pay the bill yesterday I asked the mechanic why, and could there still be a small leak. He pointed out that since the whole coolant system was drained, flushed and refilled in can take time for the pressures and water levels to settle, so refilling it once or twice in the first few days after the repairs is normal.

Maybe after your next fix, give it a few days, a few fills, then if it is still leaking then kick up some stink. Also, is there any fluid noticeable dripping from your car when it is parked?

[sjfield1]

Well i am glad i am not alone :D Its back home now, so glad that other one is away from my drive, it was just so plain! lol.

I better keep checking it for the next few days to make sure its definitely fixed.

There were never any noticeable leaking, i park the car in the same spot all day and never noticed a thing. It was all a bit strange, i just hope no more trips to the garage.

Was so disappointed with my courtesy car. last time i had one it was the cream and pink one from Menzies. Then Peter Vardy give me the bobby basic of all minis! (which i didnt think was possible).