radiator

Asked by Jazz Aug 26, 2019 at 09:45 AM about the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My car informed me that i was low in coolant . By
time i put some coolant into the car , brown liquid
came up . I didn't think much about it , until i went
to get my oil changed and they informed me that i
had some sludge in my radiator and it would have
to be flushed . Is there anything i can do myself to
clean the sludged out of my radiator ( car ) ?

1 Answer

101,815

I would be more concerned with the possibility oil is mixing with coolant, meaning a problem with the head gasket may exist. If that gunk is in the radiator it's throughout the cooling system. I'd check it with "Block Tester" or run a pressure check on the cooling system, or even a compression test on cylinders, in addition to flushing cooling system. You also may have a transmission cooler built into your radiator, and a leak there can allow tranny fluid to mix with coolant and result in sludge. Another possible source of sludge is mixing incompatible coolants (like red and green). If you do flush yourself, try to use deionized water, it won't promote rust like tap water. Finally, it's always a good idea to replace all coolant once every couple years, as it has rust inhibitors that break down over time.

Your Answer:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

2004 Volkswagen Jetta

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Deathjam4
    Reputation
    12,430
  • #2
    Goodwrench707
    Reputation
    5,400
  • #3
    Ed92626
    Reputation
    4,660
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Volkswagen Passat
327 Great Deals out of 4,100 listings starting at $2,000
Used Volkswagen Jetta GLI
50 Great Deals out of 1,704 listings starting at $5,400
Used Honda Civic
1,329 Great Deals out of 29,459 listings starting at $1,250
Used Honda Accord
1,546 Great Deals out of 29,529 listings starting at $1,900
Used Toyota Camry
2,001 Great Deals out of 30,900 listings starting at $1,500
Used Toyota Corolla
1,504 Great Deals out of 22,359 listings starting at $950
Used Volkswagen Golf
70 Great Deals out of 823 listings starting at $3,988
Used Volkswagen Golf GTI
154 Great Deals out of 3,649 listings starting at $4,750
Used Mazda MAZDA3
547 Great Deals out of 11,950 listings starting at $1,750
Used Hyundai Elantra
884 Great Deals out of 27,710 listings starting at $1,588
Used BMW 3 Series
1,068 Great Deals out of 12,286 listings starting at $950
Used Nissan Sentra
729 Great Deals out of 37,362 listings starting at $1,500
Used Nissan Altima
1,488 Great Deals out of 36,923 listings starting at $1,500

Used Cars for Sale

2024 Volkswagen Jetta For Sale
28 Great Deals out of 12,770 listings starting at $18,900
2023 Volkswagen Jetta For Sale
47 Great Deals out of 683 listings starting at $16,997
2022 Volkswagen Jetta For Sale
23 Great Deals out of 258 listings starting at $14,995
2021 Volkswagen Jetta For Sale
110 Great Deals out of 1,410 listings starting at $10,900
2020 Volkswagen Jetta For Sale
71 Great Deals out of 987 listings starting at $9,500

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.