Coolant leak under my 2016 RS6 with only 60'000km

[Hitman70]

Hi,

Today I just noticed a bad coolant leak under my RS6.

This leak occured after 2 days without driving the car (yesterday wasn't there I'm 100% sure) so it seems that letting the car cold for a long time cause it.

I'll call my dealer monday, my car have warranty, but I'm worried. Do you know what it coups be? Waterpump?

The liquid is dripping from a small rubber grill under the car (see attached)

My RS6 only have 4 years / 60'000 km

[morski]

Until the front end is partially dismantled and then pressure tested its very difficult to say where it could be coming from. There is a huge number of pipes there especially on the left. Water pump & thermostat is there and its joints can weep

[davers6]

Are you sure it’s coolant and not condensation from air con

[morski]

Air con condensate outlets are on the transmission tunnel

[Hitman70]

Yes sure, it's purple with chemical smell and it doesn't dry from floor.

[innercry666]

There's a common issue with the water pump housing leaking, so check for coolant crusted around the water pump. I had the same on mine last year at just over 3 years of age.

[Hitman70]

Ahh OK and you had to change the whole waterpump?

[innercry666]

Ahh OK and you had to change the whole waterpump?

Correct. It was carried out under the extended warranty with no quibble from Audi. They had a TPI on it as well. To get access to it to I believe they had to take the front of the car off.

[Hitman70]

Ahh OK and you had to change the whole waterpump?

To get access to it to I believe they had to take the front of the car off.

Ye that's my fear... I'm scared that I may then have bad alignment of the front of the car... Or some scratches

My car is 4 YO, your was 3 YO, it's way too early for a water pump fail. Is it a known issue? What was your mileage when it happened?

[morski]

Heres some info on the 4.0tt leak

[Hitman70]

Thanks! Very interesting documentation!!

It's surprising that a small coolant leak can even be "normal" as it lubricates the seal (page 34).

But my leak is more than small as it do a spot on the floor (did 2 times in 3 weeks, so it doesn't leaks everyday) so it may be a faulty water pump.

[morski]

Just highlights the fact that Audi do know about it in all its various forms of leakage

[innercry666]

Ahh OK and you had to change the whole waterpump?

To get access to it to I believe they had to take the front of the car off.

Ye that's my fear... I'm scared that I may then have bad alignment of the front of the car... Or some scratches

My car is 4 YO, your was 3 YO, it's way too early for a water pump fail. Is it a known issue? What was your mileage when it happened?

It was probably around 20K miles.

[innercry666]

Just read the document attached above and the indication of coolant traces on the thermostat housing align with what was found on mine as per the attached photograph

[Hitman70]

Thanks for the informations.

So it seems that my car do lose coolant ONLY if it stays long time without drive, more than 24h.

All the past week, I drove my car everyday and I didn't had any leak (no missing coolant, no coolant spots on the floor).

For try, I decided to let my car in my garage for all the weekend. Yesterday, I looked under my car after about 24h without driving --> no spot

This morning i checked after about 36h --> leak started! A spot on the floor and some coolant leaking from a hole under the car...

I'll leave it thursday and friday to the dealer for check/repair under warranty, but I'm really affraid that they can damage/scratch misallign something as they will have to take off the front bumper of my car -_-