I drive a 99 VW beetle, In february my coolant turned brown, I got a radiator flush and they said that should solve the problem…my coolant is brown again and my light keeps flashing at me. What might that mean?
To start with, maybe you can tell us what light is flashing and what does the owner’s manual say.
If it is the CEL (check engine light) is just a kid in class waving her hand trying to get you attention because she has the answer. You need to have the codes read. Some places will read them for FREE. Try Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts. Get the exact code (like P0123) not just their translation into English and post it back here.
It’s the temperature light, not the CEL.
Who did the radiator flush? Was it a VW dealer, an independent mechanic, or a chain shop like Midas, Jiffy Lube, Pep Boys, etc?
When the radiator was flushed, did they install a new thermostat and/or radiator cap?
Also, did they flush the entire cooling system, or just the radiator?
Caitlin, Have You Or Has Somebody Checked The Level And Condition Of The Engine Oil And Automatic Transmission Fluid (If The Car Has An Automatic Transmission) ?
Certain problems can lead to the various fluids; engine oil, transmission fluid, and engine coolant cross-contaminating each other or escaping where they are supposed to be and mixing with liquids where they are not supposed to be.
The engine oil and transmission fluid should not be creamy looking. Somebody needs to look for evidence of cross-contamination and go from there.
The flashing light cannot be ignored and the car should not be operated with a flashing “check engine” or “coolant” light. This could relate to the brown coolant or not. It could indicate a serious problem or not. There have been wiring and sensor problems on these Beetles.
To avoid possibly damaging or further damaging your car have somebody check it out before it’s driven again.
CSA