Coolant level below MIN after 1 year

[reed7]

Car was delivered on 2016's Christmas and currently has 12k miles. The coolant level was fine while the car was delivered. But now the coolant is right at the MIN mark when the engine is warm (Coolant temp around 186F). Link to the pic
Took the car to the dealer and they can't find any leakage. So they are just gonna topped off the fluid and hand back the car to me.

Is this normal? Is it possible an engine can consume the coolant? :(

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[GT Pony]

So I'm assuming the coolant level use to be at that MAX line when hot? If it's gone down from MAX to MIN when hot then yes it's going someplace. If no external leaks are seen then it could be a super slow leak internally. Is there any signs of moisture in the oil? What's the bottom of the oil filter cap look like ... any gunky build up on the inside of the cap?

I'd just want the level very closely after they have topped it off. IMO, it's better to check the level when the engine is stone cold ... gives a more consistent level check.

 

[reed7]

Do I need to drain the oil to check the moisture. I don't have the necessary tool :(

Here's the coolant level I took this morning after the car has been park for a night.
http://i.imgur.com/7unvNhH.jpg

I also found a picture I took on November 25th and the car was cold.
http://i.imgur.com/9YvfQHc.jpg

I wish the difference is mainly caused by the cold temperature, otherwise I may have an internal leakage

 

[GT Pony]

Do I need to drain the oil to check the moisture. I don't have the necessary tool :(

Here's the coolant level I took this morning after the car has been park for a night.
http://i.imgur.com/7unvNhH.jpg

I also found a picture I took on November 25th and the car was cold.
http://i.imgur.com/9YvfQHc.jpg

I wish the difference is mainly caused by the cold temperature, otherwise I may have an internal leakage

The coolant level in the tank will go down some due to cold weather ... but not sure if it would go down that much.

Did you take off the oil filler cap on the engine's valve cover and look under the cap and inside the hole? Did you see anything that didn't look like plain oil?

If it was my car I would definitely monitor the level very carefully, and check it when cold in the mornings in the same exact spot where it's parked for the night.

 

[ElAviator72]

My car wasn't delivered with a completely topped off Coolant Recovery Tank...I added my own about a week after getting the car. Coolant level has been fine ever since.

My last car (a dealer stock car) had a leaky thermostat housing from the factory . I noticed a couple of weeks before my first oil change the heat didn't work. The low Coolant light finally came on when the dealer guys took it for a test drive...the car was out of service for a week waiting on a new thermostat housing :doh:

 

[reed7]

The cap looks fine:
http://i.imgur.com/cYS3v9i.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/6S1yc6H.jpg

And the coolant level is right at the MIN after the dealer topped the fluid off and the car was parked for a night:
http://i.imgur.com/tVjqNfo.jpg

Will check the level once a week from now. Let's hope the coolant was not at the max level when the car was delivered and the freezing temperature just makes it even lower.

 

[GT Pony]

The cap looks fine:
http://i.imgur.com/cYS3v9i.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/6S1yc6H.jpg

And the coolant level is right at the MIN after the dealer topped the fluid off and the car was parked for a night:
http://i.imgur.com/tVjqNfo.jpg

Will check the level once a week from now. Let's hope the coolant was not at the max level when the car was delivered and the freezing temperature just makes it even lower.

Oil cap looks good ... no signs of moisture inside the engine. Yeah, just watch the level closely and check when cold after it sits all night in the same spot every time.

 

[Blk2015GT]

I believe there was a service bulletin for the 5.0 about a leaky thermostat or something with losing coolant over time.

I wouldn't consider 1/8 inch movement catastrophic though in 12k miles. Top it up and keep an eye on it.

I too was about that much below minimum about 10 months ago (car about 1.5 year old and 6k miles) and topped it off and it's good since.

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