2003 Audi A4 Slow leaking coolant. Gasket failure?

Tiny
HEINEKEN661
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 AUDI A4
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 68,000 MILES
I noticed a small puddle of coolant on my driveway. I just got back from the auto repair shop and they told me my coolant was leaking due to a head gasket failure (HGF) costing me $1180 to replace. If it was my head gasket that failed, wouldn't there have been coolant in my oil? And wouldn't my car be running erratically? Is it possible for a HGF to cause only external leaking and not internal leaking? Please help!
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 11:33 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
HI there,

You can get external coolant leaks from the head gasket, but with this you do normally have coolant entering the combustion chamber as well, you may not have coolant in the oil as this is normally seen with a cracked head or a major gasket failure, I would get the cooling system pressure tested to confirm where the leak is coming from first.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 AT 12:17 AM

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