Got a scary warning light complete with buzzer a few days ago when I started my car. Basically a coward, I contacted a couple of my mechanic folks before I drove anywhere. I started with my son’s friend, Randy, because he’s worked for VW for years and I drive a Jetta.
I texted him and said the warning light looked like a thermometer. Perhaps that wasn’t a great description as he called me and asked me to take a picture of the warning light – you know, the little icon thing – so I went back out to the car. Problem was when I turned the car back on, the light did not come back on although I had seen it briefly as the motor turned over. Not to be daunted by a light in hiding, I got my phone in camera ready mode and turned the car back on. Ah ha, the light appeared ever so briefly, but I was able to capture an image.
Randy got back to me right away and told me that the car needed water. He went on to explain that if I had the radiator looked at, the car needed a special type of radiator fluid. Appealing to my feminine side, he said it was pink. I’d know it was the right stuff if it were pink. Gotcha.
And since the light was gone, I ran a few errands before getting in touch with my grandson, who’s quite a mechanic in his own right. And a second opinion never hurts. Besides, he’s local and I was hoping he’d offer to take care of the problem. He didn’t, but he did confirm Randy’s diagnosis and suggested I just check the fluid in the overflow whatamacallit as Randy had also said.
However, as the light was still off, I decided to defer to my husband – who is definitely not a mechanic, but he does have the confidence I lack. He said he’d handle it, but hadn’t when three days later the light and the buzzer came on again when I drove him to work.
Before panicking, I decided to google “how to add coolant” this morning and felt better as I mentally checked it off my to do list. I did not feel so good about actually trying to do it especially as the light had gone off again. Pesky light.
With the words to Helen Reddy’s song going through my head, I approached the car again. “I am woman… If I have to, I can do anything.”
Task # 1 – find the gadget in the car that releases the hood
pull it
#2 – find the gadget in the engine compartment that releases the hood
pull it
#3 – lift the hood up
#4 – find the long metal piece that holds the hood up
release it
#5 – find the hole to place the end of the long metal piece in
place it there
#6 – locate the coolant recovery tank
#7 – open it
#8 – check the level
#9 – get some water
#10 – fill it to about an inch from the top
#11 – breathe
I am woman!
