There is a constant coolant leak coming from the thermostat housing and water pump area. It started as a slow leak, every 10,000 miles or so I would have to top it off and now it has gotten to the point where I have to fill it back up every day. Looked into it online and it seems that nearly everyone that owns this car has the same issue and everyone's leak comes from this area.the leak happens at all times but is greatly accelerated when driving and the coolant system is running.
2017 Volkswagen GTI: engine overheating
7 of the 52 complaints about the 2017 Volkswagen GTI describe engine overheating.
- owner complaints
- 7
- of this car's complaints
- 13%
- typical mileage
- 36,974
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 131 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Engine overheating by model year
What owners say
Discovered coolant leak on oil pan and contacted dealership. This was during routine inspection. Dealership inspection revealed a failed water pump housing. Dealership replaced housing, thermostat and thermostat gasket under warranty.
The vw gti is 4 years old and has 32,753 miles. Driving through a shopping plaza, steam suddenly began to rise from the hood. Upon parking and shutting off the engine, steam continued to rise and the sweet smell of coolant was obvious. Coolant began leaking out and formed a puddle under the vehicle. No prior sign of coolant leaks. Vehicle was towed to the dealership, where technicians identified a defective water pump and thermostat housing. Repair was fixed under warranty with thermostat 06l121111m and water pump 06k121011c in august 2020.
Vehicle started losing coolant around 25k miles. Visible loss in reservoir and could smell coolant after driving. At 30k miles, visible puddle of coolant under car. Car was serviced at vw of ocala, fl, where they replaced the water pump, thermostat housing and relevant gaskets/seals. This matches what dozens of other vw gti drivers are experiencing in their cars. 30k is way too low of miles to have such a major repair done to these cars, and could have LED to premature engine wear/failure by overheating.
Thermostat housing leak causes coolant leak and low coolant warnings. Was operating the vehicle under normal conditions when low coolant warning illuminated.
The thermostat housing on the engine developed a significant leak, allowing coolant to drip on the roadway and also endangering the car's engine from overheating and possible power loss. This could of course cause a slippery road surface and could also result in the car losing power on the street creating a hazard.
Engine is losing coolant. Started at ~50k miles marked. Coolant needs to be topped off. Now the car is at 71k miles. Low coolant triggered warning light again! Coolant needs to be topped off. There appears to be white crusty marked near the engine oil pan and seem to be coming off from the thermostat housing.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Prevent Sporatic Misfire Faults.
- Checking engine oil level.
- Reprogramming Control Module process
- Engine missfire diagnostic aid
- Identifying and Mixing Volkswagen Engine Coolants
- Suggested fuel additive
- Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
- Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2017 Volkswagen GTI overheating
Is engine overheating a common problem on the 2017 Volkswagen GTI?
7 of 52 owner complaints about the 2017 Volkswagen GTI (13%) mention engine overheating. The model year with the most reports is 2015.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Volkswagen GTI?
There are 0 recalls and 131 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2017 Volkswagen GTI
VIN decoder
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