Evening all,

Just after some advice please, when I fire up the car, I have started to get a red triangle warning saying "Coolant Level Low", I drive up the drive and down the road and turn a corner and the warning goes away, by which time the engine is almost at temperature.

I am wondering if I have a sticky float/sensor, no visible wet patches or marks on driveway underneath. I have opened the coolant reservoir under the bonnet (engine cold) and cant see any fluid? Should I be able to see some fluid in tank ??

Any thoughts, only seems to have started to occur in the last week?

Your knowledge and help would be appreciated. It s a 5.0 Supercharged engine. Engine runs as sweet as a nut and temperature is normal when operating? and after turning a corner the warning always goes off.

DrF

Oh yes there should be fluid in the reservoir up to the marking.

Sir you have a leak. Now I've been there and it was a right to find. If you don't see anything on the floor then I bet you have the same that I had...It will be gathering inside the V of the engine, and just evaporate hence you don't see it. You'll need an inspection camera to be able to spot it.

Two likely culprits;

1. That brittle pipe behind the water pump.
2. A hose underneath the supercharger (yup typical in the hardest place).

But considering you can't see anything anywhere I'd think it is either one of them or if you are really 'lucky' like I was, both of them...

Keep it topped up until you are ready to begin the job, and when the supercharger comes off don't forget to inspect the coupling etc as the likelyhood is that you may as well want to refurb those parts...

Thats great, many thanks, should i top up with JLR coolant, I have some antifreeze/coolant I picked up from Shell garage would that be ok to use and not have any issues with any coolant left in it

I wouldn’t mix unknown coolant. The Range Rover 5.0SC takes G30 iirc. But best to double check online with your reg number. It’s a red colour for me.

I did wonder if that would be the case, thank you, what web site do i check with please?

I can’t believe in saying it but you could use Halfords or Euro Car Parts

I’m pretty sure it’s G30 but I would hate to give the wrong advice. I checked my bottles of coolant in the garage and it’s G30.

Brilliant, many thanks, I think a call to the dealer in the morning and get booked in and prepare myself for the bill

Parts shouldn’t be expensive, but the labour of the investigation could be. I would definitely use an independent specialist for this, unless you’ve got a big warm garage as it isn’t really hard. I would elect to instruct them to just replace all the hoses if it’s supercharger off as the parts costs nothing compared to labour. And perhaps take the opportunity to refurbish the supercharger unless that was already done. It’s a little bit more now but saves a lot come a bit later.

Good advice, thank you, will do

Ownerinfo.landrover.com gives the coolant spec as STJLR.651.5003, mix of 50% water and 50% that coolant. Dealers sell coolant and when I had a low coolant warning on my 2012 WM when in holiday in England I just called into the nearest dealer and bought some from there, rather than going to (say) Halfords and having to read small print specs for a small saving. Only Range Rovers since 1988

Thats great, I agree, I will take her straight to the dealer and I won't muck around with it.

Just helpful to know roughly what the issue may be so when the dealer tells me so I am forewarned.

It makes me wonder whether a dealer actually has the tools for this; inspection camera to confirm my suspicions. I just see dealers as people who replace things but don’t actually repair or fix if you know what I mean.

Earlier L405’s seem to be suffering from coolant leaks from the rear of the car these days from what I’ve been reading. The pipes going into the rear heating corrode I believe.

There’s also a plastic coolant outlet that runs from one bank of cylinders to the other at the back of the engine beside the bulkhead that is fairly common to leaking as they get older. Hot coolant has quite a distinct smell, can you smell it once the engine is warm with the bonnet open?

The coolant level is always set when cold as it expands a bit when it gets warm. If you’ve not got the correct coolant you’d be as well topping it up with plain water and getting whoever does the repair to change the coolant as part of the repair.

Mixing different types of anti freeze can make them turn to sludge and things get blocked.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Thanks for all your help, I wont be putting anything in, i shall leave that for the dealer.

Strange thing is no smell, and engine runs perfectly at temperature as it always has.

DrF hi, From cold... if you open your bonnet and look at the side of your coolant reservoir you will note a minimum and maximum line... If you cannot see any coolant (should be an orangy pink colour) then grab an empty milk carton swill it out and put some plain clean water in it, then fill the reservoir to the minimum line. The added benefit of using a milk carton is you can be sure how much water you have needed to fill her back to the minimum/maximum line...

Then use the car and the following morning check the level again (when the engine is cold)... Over 2 or 3 days you should get an idea of how much coolant you are or aren't losing... If you need a pint or a liter a day then that's NOT GOOD and needs addressing asap...

If you fill her to the maximum and she stays there then it's just used a little coolant! Nothing to stress about too much! Just ask your mechanic/dealer to check the strength of your coolant next time you are there...