Checking the coolant level or not.

Engine, Exhaust, Drivetrain, ECU Issues and Fixes
Cheshire Cat
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Post by Cheshire Cat »

I tried to check the coolant level on the Macan S today. First off, what a stupid place to locate the cap and secondly, how the hell are you supposed to look inside if you are not 7ft tall and can bend like a limbo dancer. Stuck my finger I felt nothing, not technical and maybe not the correct way. Then the handbook says to top up with a mixture of Porsche antifreeze and distilled water. Does anyone have a better method?
Dolomite Silver 'S' with red leather 14 way seats, Pano roof, Bose, Air suspension with pasm, Chrono pack, PDLS, Surround view, 911 turbo wheels, heated screen, spare wheel, ioniser,75 lt tank, black tail pipes, black roof rails.

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pmg
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Post by pmg »

Cheshire Cat wrote: Fri Jul 08, 2022 1:08 pm I tried to check the coolant level on the Macan S today. First off, what a stupid place to locate the cap and secondly, how the hell are you supposed to look inside if you are not 7ft tall and can bend like a limbo dancer. Stuck my finger I felt nothing, not technical and maybe not the correct way. Then the handbook says to top up with a mixture of Porsche antifreeze and distilled water. Does anyone have a better method?
Agree, the movement of the header tank from in engine bay to behind bulkhead where it cannot be seen was a major adverse step from Gen1 to Gen2 and 3. I have not come up with a sensible method of checking level and for the last three years relied on looking at water temps in MFD and whether cooling seemed to working ok

Thinking about it I might, when car cold, try holding into the tank a white thin strip of paper to see how far I have to lower it before it picks up a stain.
2019 Macan S Porsche code PKW8WKI8
Bluesnose1812
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Post by Bluesnose1812 »

Use a mirror
Currently
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Skyway
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Post by Skyway »

Surely the car will tell you if/when it’s low?
Macan S MY 2023
On-Track
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Post by On-Track »

Picking up on your thread title, I've defaulted to not. Main reason is, as others have said, it's almost impossible to check. Two years with a Cayenne diesel and five with a Macan SD and only added a splash to the SD so I'm relying on the car to warn me if the level is low.
Peter

Current: 2020 Carmine Red GTS http://www.porsche-code.com/PMST9ZI9
Gone- 2015 Sapphire Blue Diesel
Gone -2013 Cayenne Diesel
TheTraveller
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Post by TheTraveller »

Drifting a little bit of the OP here. Two weeks ago on the service of my SD, the OPC Tech's found a slight coolent leek from the rad. I couldn't see any thing from top or bottom. So I removed the under tray from the engine, and found a tiny half a pee sized bit of pink calcification, (anti freeze), on the bottom outlet pipe, to the rad.
They had it back day before yesterday, on Wednesday to replace the rad, having ordered one to undertake the replacement.
They rang me in the afternoon, to inform me that it wouldn't be ready until the next day. They said the Tech', did the same job last week and it takes 10 hours, to do the replacement. The job sheet shows removing the air con gas, as part of the procedure.
If that's right, my extended warranty was well worth having.
Cheshire Cat
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Post by Cheshire Cat »

Skyway wrote: Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:54 pm Surely the car will tell you if/when it’s low?
I called in at Chester OPC today as I was passing. Skyway is correct. The tech guy said the car will tell you if the level drops which seems a little odd. If you are in the wilds of Scotland without coolant to top up, that would be at best stressful and worst dangerous. Modern cars hey?
Dolomite Silver 'S' with red leather 14 way seats, Pano roof, Bose, Air suspension with pasm, Chrono pack, PDLS, Surround view, 911 turbo wheels, heated screen, spare wheel, ioniser,75 lt tank, black tail pipes, black roof rails.
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pmg
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Post by pmg »

I was reminding myself of the issue, when attaching my CTEC battery charger to the under bonnet polls yesterday. The central position as well as being behind the bulkhead does not help easy inspection!!! :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
2019 Macan S Porsche code PKW8WKI8
Con
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Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2023 1:38 am

Post by Con »

I asked the dealer to show me how to check the coolant. Best is to unscrew the cap, position yourself next to the left front wheel, and direct a flash light through the open top. Now, the bulkhead cover has some cut outs, look through them while keeping the flashlight on, and you should clearly see the coolant level, as well as the min/max marks. Hope this helps.
On-Track
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Post by On-Track »

Con wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2023 1:43 am I asked the dealer to show me how to check the coolant. Best is to unscrew the cap, position yourself next to the left front wheel, and direct a flash light through the open top. Now, the bulkhead cover has some cut outs, look through them while keeping the flashlight on, and you should clearly see the coolant level, as well as the min/max marks. Hope this helps.
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for a very useful first post.
Peter

Current: 2020 Carmine Red GTS http://www.porsche-code.com/PMST9ZI9
Gone- 2015 Sapphire Blue Diesel
Gone -2013 Cayenne Diesel
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