"Top up Coolant, see owners manual" message

[riodiv3105]

Hi, I have just bought a MB A180 (private sale) so am new to this group.

I had topped up the radiator tank with water (as some anti-freeze already in it).
I then travelled approx. 300-miles for work purposes & during the final 60 - 70 miles, I had a number of "Top up Coolant, see owners manual" messages appear on the instrument display (between the Speedo & Tacho). When I got home & allowed the engine to cool, I had to add approx. 1 litre of water to the radiator tank.
Can anyone advise where I may be losing this water as there is none on floor where my car has been parked?

I also would like to know what the W model is of my car i.e. W176. can anyone tell me?

Thanks.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi, I have just bought a MB A180 (private sale) so am new to this group.

I had topped up the radiator tank with water (as some anti-freeze already in it).
I then travelled approx. 300-miles for work purposes & during the final 60 - 70 miles, I had a number of "Top up Coolant, see owners manual" messages appear on the instrument display (between the Speedo & Tacho). When I got home & allowed the engine to cool, I had to add approx. 1 litre of water to the radiator tank.
Can anyone advise where I may be losing this water as there is none on floor where my car has been parked?

I also would like to know what the W model is of my car i.e. W176. can anyone tell me?

Thanks.

Welcome to MBClub and congratulations on your new car. Sorry to hear you have a problem with it. If there are no visible signs of coolant leaking then it could be finding it’s way into the engine - it’s not common but it does happen.

I would suggest taking it to a workshop you trust to see if there’s an issue, and avoid driving it if possible. If you need to top it then used distilled or ionised water if possible, and avoid adding antifreeze unless you’re 100% sure it’s the right stuff.

Given the sharp drop in temperatures especially I would suggest getting it investigated sooner rather than later as diluted antifreeze will reduce it’s effectiveness and could cause some damage when temperatures fall further and stay low.

Finally, how recently did you buy the car? If very recently then I suspect that the seller knew that there was an issue - as you’re losing a lot of coolant - although your recourse on them is almost zero with it being a private seller.

 

[AMGeed]

I also would like to know what the W model is of my car i.e. W176. can anyone tell me?

Thanks.

You guessed correctly first time. It's a W176. Look in the lower left windscreen from outside and the first 3 numbers of your Vin tell you which model you have. The V5 will confirm. The Vin# should also be on a sticker on the drivers door pillar.
As for the leak, can you see any coolant on the ground under the car following a drive after parking up?
Possible leak from a hose or the water pump. When cool, put your hand under the water pump and see if there is any dampness.
If nothing is obvious, I'd run the car up to temperature whilst parked and look for leaks.

 

[toteimerced]

Check under the oil cap, for any mayonnaise type substance, which could point to head gasket failure, which is something you should always do, when buying a car anyway.

 

[riodiv3105]

taken it to my local garage & teh water pump is leaking so will need replacing.

The timing belt & water pump were replaced in Feb 2024 buy a garage, I have the invoice given to me by the seller. Should this still be covered by warranty?

 

[AMGeed]

taken it to my local garage & teh water pump is leaking so will need replacing.

The timing belt & water pump were replaced in Feb 2024 buy a garage, I have the invoice given to me by the seller. Should this still be covered by warranty?

The parts alone should have an automatic 12months minimum guarantee.
You need to read the terms of what is covered in your warranty.