Driving along normally on freeway and i get the 'ping' and 'Check Coolant Level' comes on.

Also, on the temp gauge, the red led flashes to the far right.

The temp of the engine does not change and stays straight up in the normal range.

1. Is this the antifreeze / water mix?
2. What antifireeze should I use? The manual says 'porsche-approved' but it does not say which brands that includes.

Any other suggestions or things to look for?

Thx

 

Coolant normally does not just disappear. It could be a common leak.


Open your engine bay lid and check the coolant overflow tank on the left. Make sure the coolant level is between min & max. Look for the "sweet" smell of coolant on hot metal too. If it's low, check under the car for any wet spots when you park, especially after topping off the coolant levels. Note the location of the wet spot to help diagnose the leak.


The white plastic coolant overflow tank is a known failure item with age. Mine went a few months ago all of a sudden on a hot day while parked (2006 like yours). It developed a crack near the inlet hose (can't really see it from the rear). Not a big deal, but a pain to repair. Labor here tends to be more than parts.


Sometimes the coolant hose clamps come loose. Finding the leak is harder than fixing these.


Other coolant issues are more dramatic, unlikely to be what you describe. They include water pump failures or engine block problems. These failures would be described as large puddles under the car, limp mode, every warning light turned on, and so on. Water pump failures happen. Block issues are not nearly as common.


Let us know what you find.

 

Thanks for the reply. No sweet coolant smell. Level of the tank was below min.

Had to add half a gallon of liquid to get back to MIN.

Is this tank the so-called 'expansion tank' people refer o as a common failure point? If so, that was replaced 2 years ago.