Would you road-trip a 2016 S3 with a 70K mile original water pump?
Question as above — recently purchased this S3, seems overall quite stout and I’m not overly concerned about the rest of the vehicle — runs strong and the biggest issue otherwise is a minor timing cover leak.
I haven’t seen any signs of coolant loss, level is staying steady. No coolant on the ground, and I put an endoscope under the manifold and didn’t see any pink crystallization or anything of the sort. Oil temps stay consistent between 217 and 226 F, the latter during harder driving. There is a slight antifreeze smell.
New to the world of Audi so just wanted opinions! If it fails is it immediate and catastrophic? Or will a top off be okay to get me a long way. This is a 9 hour round trip drive I intend on making, and if there is even a considerable risk I’ll find alternative transportation as don’t wanna chance having to get a town across state lines. Thanks!
Posted Sep 1, 2026, 4:43 PM UTC