Thread: Top radiator hose sliced by top engine cover

Ok so yesterday out in the Vic High Country in our 2016 D4 SDV6 after about 200 km I got a low coolant warning light. We found the top hose neatly sliced open, about 2cm long, by the top engine cover. Has anyone else had this problem??
I’m at our Indie at the moment and they say there is not a top hose anywhere in Aust or UK. Grrrr ! The car was serviced only 2 weeks ago and I have a feeling the top cover wasn’t positioned correctly but in the heat of the moment I was too distracted finding the leak to notice it’s position before I took it off.
So, is this a common problem? Surely not!
And can anyone help with a top hose please?
Cheers
David

It’s common

Self amalgamating tape probably your friend here until parts arrive.

Coolant Hose cut by Engine Cover
Coolant Hose cut by Engine Cover

Had the same problem at the Winter Wombat. I think it occurs because somebody does not put the engine cover on properly. I also ground the opening so it could not happen again. I find it hard to believe that they still dont have a top radiator hose in Aus. Thats what they told me in August, then suddenly they found one in Darwin.

It’s not because of the cover being incorrectly fitted. It’s because it’s poorly designed without enough clearance to a hose that moves around a bit. The fix is the new iteration hose which has some protection added plus I cut out some of the cover plastic to make more clearance.

Not common I'm sure and never happened to me in mine.

I had the same problem up near Broome. I only had gaffer tape to do the repair but it lasted for 200km until I reach town and acquired a hose that fitted. It's a design issue so the easiest thing to do is cut out the cover a bit more so it doesn't happen again. I eventually took it to a dealer and they replaced the hose and did a radiator flush under warranty.

I had the same problem on the GCR road in 2014 but saw it chafing and put some tape around it. I then put some conduit over the offending spot to stop further chafing.

Last year on the GRR I noticed that is was chaffed halfway through while looking under the bonnet at Mitchel Falls. Many repairs since the first time I saw it the conduit was not replaced and this time I didn't notice until it was half way through the pipe. We got one ordered in Kununurra which was delivered to the dealer in Darwin and they replaced it when we reached Darwin.

The new pipe is no better and now has some spit conduit around it and it is checked regularly.

Whilst on the GRR I heard of another D4 that had cut through and had to be towed to Kununurra. I was a bit luckier, just!

Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

The fix is the new iteration hose which has some protection

The protection sleeve is not at the location where the cut occurs, it's further along away from that elbow.
Sleeve in factory position and my added protection can be seen in the photo below.

Cheers,
Scott