Wrong Coolant Used...What Now?

[beetleweetle]

Ok So the dealership sold me a 2005 VW Beetle with no manual.This was a bad mistake. Soon after, The temperature indicator was blue and i was told by one of the techs at the autoparts store that my coolant level needed to be topped of with that green stuff. So i bought it and filled it up to the top but i noticed that there was already coolant halfway filled in the round container so i mixed it in. Soon afterwards I learned that the Beetle only took a certain type of coolant and that i needed to take it to the dealership so they can flush it all out. Well I called the dealership and they said they would do it for $130.00.

Question...

Can I still drive the car without taking it to the dealership even though a couple of cups was mixed in with the existing coolant or do i need to flush it out immediately?

Thanks You.

[Smileybug]

If the pink G12 coolant was in there when you mixed in the green stuff, it NEEDS to be flushed. It will gel and clog up your cooling system and cause far more problems.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

No, mixing the coolants causes them to gel. This seems to be a common problem, and there are numerous threads around here. You might try an advanced search using "green stuff" (lol).

Not a major project to flush, just needs to be flushed extrememly well, and if you haven't turned on the heat or defroster, don't.

Besides, if your tank was half full, it was already full and now you have overfilled it. If so, and your light came on, you say, blue, but not if it was constant or flashing. Solid blue - not to operating temp or a system malfunction, flashing blue - electrical malfunction, red - low coolant, not necessarily overheated. The problem is going to have to be diagnosed and fixed.

Here is the drain and fill procedure, I'll have to look and see what the Bentley has on flushing the system, although someone will be along no doubt. The fill procedure needs to be followed to the letter, especially since you don't have the vacuum equipment the Dealer uses to fill the system and avoid trapped air which must be purged out.

Bentley Cooling System Diagnostics
Overheating problem

Bentley drain and fill procedure
Beetle overheating

MORAV

This, below, captured from an Owner's Manual regarding the Cooling System Warning/Indicator Light. I checked an I have lots of Manuals for sale, but I don't have an '05 NB, only an '05 NBC. As a word to all, when you buy a car from a Dealer, negotiate the OM and at least two sets of keys with remote fobs into purchase. They are all expensive for you, cheap for them.

[beetleweetle]

Thank You so much for your reply and the information you posted. I will take it to the dealer tomorrow.

[pencilneck]

and if you haven't turned on the heat or defroster, don't.

It doesn't matter, coolant flows through the heater core all the time. It is the control of the air flow that gives warm air or not.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by pencilneck

It doesn't matter, coolant flows through the heater core all the time. It is the control of the air flow that gives warm air or not.

If that is the case, and I'm not saying it isn't, I have to wonder why the Bentley air purging method indicates NOT to turn on the heat or a/c.

M.

[pencilneck]

Your right, it does state that. And yet there is no valve on the heater core, coolant freely flows right through it at all times when the engine is running. Silly Germans I guess.