How to top up coolant

[5up3rman]

Most of you may laugh but i'd rather ask and be safe than sorry.

Anyway.
Checked coolant level this morning and noticed it has gone to just under the min level.
Do i need to buy Audi coolant or will something from halfords do?
If i buy Audi coolant do i need to mix it with water, or can i just add it in?
What is the best thing to do?

Thanks

[Sam]

NEVER MIX COOLANTS!!!11

With that out the way, if it's just a small amount missing, top up with water - I've always done it and I'm still alive as is my car.

Now all I have to do is wait for the purists to pee on my campfire

[NickPicks]

The coolant bottle should have printed on it what coolant to use. I expect it's either G12, or G12+. Probably G12+ It should be pink.

Available from Audi, TPS or GSF etc.

Do NOT use blue stuff from Halfords or anywhere!

Mix with the right quantity of water (It should say the ratio on the bottle) and pour in to the max level. If I was doing it, I'd probably just pour in 50:50 water and G12+

Edit: as Sam say, never mix coolants (he means the pink and the blue, not mixing it with water). You'll end up with a brown sludge which doesn't work very well.

[5up3rman]

my coolant is pink i can see that quite clearly.

so you're saying buy the official Audi coolant.
i've seen a coolant in halfords:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...1&iozone=PDPz1

like i say the level is gone just below the min level, so do you guys reckon it's ok to top up to max with cold tap water?

[burkey1]

If you can see that its pink then tap water fine for that amount.

That halfords coolant is fine to use on your car too, expensive though!!!

[iwaters]

Never mix coolant from Halfords with the Pink G12+, it will turn brown and sludgey and will destroy the seals in the coolant system.

[rhencullen1989]

The latest stuff from TPS (Audi) is actually G12 ++ (thats right, plus, plus!!) Only use this stuff in your Audi, as long as its pink and has not been already mixed with the wrong stuff. I don't use tap water, i use de-ionised water, if not available, then de-stilled water followed by tap water. You can mix at different values, but i usually go for 50/50, this will be good enough for our winters.

[burkey1]

Never mix coolant from Halfords with the Pink G12+, it will turn brown and sludgey and will destroy the seals in the coolant system.

Are you saying the pink halfords coolant (TL774D) whick 5up3rman is referring to mixed with pink G12+ will turn brown????

[NickPicks]

If the halfords pink stuff meets the VW spec, then it should be OK, but if most people went to halfods and asked for coolant / anti freeze, they'd end up with blue ethylene glycol, which will not mix properly with G12 (although I think G12+ will tolerate it)

[iwaters]

I've zoomed in on the image on the Halfords website. It says it meets TL774D, which I think is G12. TL774F is G12+.

According to the workshop manual G12+ can be mixed with G11 and G12 so yes the Halfords pink stuff should be ok.