5 Signs Your Volkswagen Jetta is Low on Coolant from Certified Experts in Modesto

Volkswagen is one of the most sought-after automotive manufacturers that are known for producing very popular cars for the last couple of decades. One such highly popular sedan manufactured by VW is the Jetta which is known for its outstanding performance.

The popularity of the VW Jetta can be gauged from the number of these cars that one gets to see on the road of Modesto, CA. However, owning a car like Jetta also comes with its share of responsibilities like regular maintenance and service.

The smooth running and better performance of your car depend on certain factors and one such important maintenance aspect is looking after the coolant level of your car. The coolant is one of the most important fluids in your car that prevents the engine from overheating.

The internal combustion engine generates a lot of heat when your car is running. The successful managing of this heat is done by the circulation of coolant throughout the engine. However, at times you might find your engine overheating abnormally which indicates a low level of coolant in the coolant reservoir.

Here in this article, we will discuss the symptoms associated with low levels of coolant in your VW Jetta.

Rising Temperature Gauge

One of the prominent signs of low levels of coolant in your car is higher reading in the temperature gauge located on the dashboard. The temperature gauge keeps a tab on the temperature of the engine in your car and signals both low and high temperatures.

Whenever the needle is at the normal position, then the temperature of the engine is at a normal range. However, if you see that the needle is moving upwards after driving for some time and reaches the red zone, then it signifies something seriously wrong with the flow of coolant in your car.

Most of the issues in the coolant flow might be caused due to blockage somewhere like in the hoses. However, at times due to inadequate levels of coolant, your engine will overheat. The low level of coolant might be caused due to a coolant leak somewhere in the car.

Malfunctioning Heater

Most of the time new car owners are not aware of all the properties of the coolant and only think that it is used to prevent the engine from overheating. Preventing overheating of the engine is one of the properties of coolant but apart from that coolant which is also known as anti-freeze provides you with warm air during the winter months.

The car’s heater with the help of coolant uses the heat produced by the internal combustion engine to provide you with warm air during the colder months. The coolant absorbs all the heat from the engine and this heat is repurposed by providing you with warm air when you need it in the winter.

However, with low levels of coolant, your heater will malfunction and would not be able to provide you with warm air. You will experience an inconsistent flow of warm air or complete lack of it and this is an indication of low levels of coolant.

Sweet Odor

You might not know that coolant has a sweet odor that is distinct from other liquids you use in your vehicle. Whenever there is a leakage of coolant in your car, then you are going to experience a sweet-smelling aroma inside the cabin of your car.

If you are aware of the smell of coolant, then you can easily pick up this odor and easily determine that there is a coolant leak somewhere in your car.

Poor Fuel Economy

The engine is the heart of your car and whenever the engine is functioning smoothly, you will notice that your car is fuel-efficient. However, any drop in the fuel economy of your car signals that there is something wrong with your vehicle.

Due to overheating of the car your fuel economy will reduce drastically. In addition to this, you will also observe an increase in the emission from your car.

Illumination of check engine light

Nowadays, all the modern cars are coming equipped with a low coolant warning light on the dashboard. However, if you are having an older model, then the check engine light is going to illuminate because of the overheating engine that is caused due to low levels of coolant.

However, the problem with the check engine light is that it can illuminate due to a host of other factors and you will need the assistance of an ASE-certified mechanic for diagnosing the real cause behind its illumination.

Finally

The above-discussed factors are some of the symptoms associated with the illumination of the check engine light in your Volkswagen Jetta. Most of the time drivers tend to overlook these signs during the initial stages and end up causing harm to their engines.

Kruse Lucas Imports is a leading European auto repair and service expert located in Modesto having years of experience in looking after luxury European cars like Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen, and Volvo.