mazzy730

Every once and awhile when I shut the car off I notice a slight smell of coolant. Don't see any leaks or drips. Just had it in for the recall, and still noticed it once after driving the car. Doesn't appear to be loosing any fluid either and it's been doing it since I bought the car about 6k mi ago. Anyone else ever notice this?

Jack88

I did but could never see any sign of coolant lost, and it only came up every now and again.

HouTexAudi

I will occasionally smell coolant when I stomp on the accelerator. Have never figured out why and have seen no leaks. I can't tell if it's coolant or windshield washer fluid.

MP4.2+6.0

Best suggestion I can offer is first determine if you have any leak whatsoever. And if under warranty, let dealer ferret it out. Thus, look very carefully at coolant bottle when car is cold, like after sitting overnight. Put a clear mark exactly there--grease pencil perhaps best to see well but removable. Drive for as long as you want (days to weeks or even more) and then re check. Same level, no leak. Even like ¼ inch drop cold to cold, leak. And if under warranty, they (try to) find and fix. If left be/you miss it and no warranty, anything from simple hose stuff to big bucks.

When I first bought my D3 A8 W12 I noticed a few Sharpie marks on coolant bottle. Plus a few service notes cluing me in a little. Net, it suggested to me to look carefully myself. Sure enough, in my case it was in the valve block to the heater cores for the two sides in front. But that whole area is hidden by the plenum cover on a D3 Loose clamp basically, but dealer hadn't found it. Stuff like that/in that area can also lead to a little smell, yet hidden by covers where owners of at least newer ones almost never venture.