Where does coolant go?

[Banzai_Joe]

I know....a dumb question really, but my insignia has reported that my coolant is low.
So i bought some (it said 'antifreeze and coolant' on it) from B&Q.
I wasn't sure if you could mix'n'match so to speak.

So,
is any coolant suitable and where does it go? Is it in the radiator?

Again, i know its dumb, but i only drive my car, i don't have any under-the-bonnet knowledge really.

Cheers.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

You are asking the wrong 'where does coolant go' question - it shouldnt go anywhere normally, the fact its gone suggests a fault somewhere.

Surely like all the other fluids in a car the levels will drop over time and require topping up?
It's a Dec 2010 model and i've had it since last August, no idea if has ever been topped up since birth.

Jay; thanks buddy, i would have guessed right, but as you say, i'd better get the correct stuff and not just use the £1.49 (half price offer) i got from B&Q.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Thanks guys, good info.
I'll have it checked out for potential leaks. the car is still under manufacturers warranty until Dec 2013.

Cheers

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Well i've booked the car for the freebie 15 mins test, to check for leaks and wotnot.
I also remember that the oil was 98% full when i got the car. 10 months later its down to 36%.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Not that i know of Fox. Only know about the levels cos the dashboard told me about the coolant needing topping up. I just happened to scroll through the settings and found that the oil level was 36% when i remember it being 98% when i got it. No warning about that though.
The drive is fine, nothing seems or sounds out of the ordinary.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Epic revival here........

Right. I took the car into Vauxhall dealers in July. They said they'd had a few issues with this on some insignia's and that they would change the unit.
When i got the car back, it seemed fine. I thought it odd that i didn't receive any paperwork. But then with everything electronic and with it being a warranty job i didn't think much of it.
Few months later the light comes back on, so i book it in again and had a service whilst i was at it.
Came back ok.
Just atfer xmas (warranty ran out 21st dec 13) light comes on again.
The car is back in today for another 'fix'.
They just rang me to say they can't any issue and it would cost £78 to diagnose. I'm like, even though the car is out of warranty surely you are duty bound to fix what you've failed to fix on 2 previous occasions when it WAS in warranty?
2n visit to fix it they told me the cap was lose (basically accusing me) I didn't even know where the cap was!
Spoke to manager and he says that out of the 3 or 4 visits to their garage this year there is absolutely no record of any coolant issue being looked at!!! WTH?!
Seriously? He also said that even if there was, once the warranty is out of date then i have to pay for it. Even if they didn't fix it 1st or 2nd time round.

If that's the case then them 'losing' any record they have of me bringing the car in twice previously for this issue is irrelevant now as the warranty has ended.

So, anyone any idea at all what might be the issue? Faulty sensor? Leak somewhere? I resent (and can't afford) £78 to have the issue diagnosed, then pay to have it fixed.
Peeved and gutted about this.

Any advice?

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Thought about that, but if any warranty repairs then expire with the warranty then it'll make no difference whether they lost any records of my issues or not.