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The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

The 2013 Hyundai i10 seems normal with no warning lights on the dashboard, despite having only a small amount of engine oil in the dipstick, empty brake fluid tanks, and empty coolant tanks. Why is that? What should I do next?

The Hyundai i10 issue - Red Baron

Not much info to go on.

Is the car yours or are you about to buy it? I would not buy it. What else has not been looked after? When was it last serviced? What have the MOT results been - there should be 7 and you can check for these online. If it is already yours or of someone you know, then the very least you'd need to do is correctly fill all of the 'empty' tanks and with the correct fluids. Then check them daily/weekly at first to watch for level changes. The oil and oil filter I would replace with new.

If, truly, those fluid tanks were as empty as you suggest, then I'm amazed that the thing even runs. The oil in the sump is like treacle and/or the engine burns quite a bit of oil. The brake fluid system has a leak. The coolant system has a leak. Why else would these last two even deplete if there is no issue.

Maybe the dash lights have been fiddled with to not show - do they light up when you first start the car and then all go out?

The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

Upon starting the car, all dashboard lights illuminate briefly before turning off, indicating a normal start-up. The car passed its MOT and had a service last year around September before I purchased it in December. At that time, all fluids were in good condition. However, after driving for two months, all the fluids have depleted.

The Hyundai i10 issue - skidpan

It an 11 year old car, its getting towards the end of its life possible. When was it last "properly" serviced? How many miles has it done?

Passing its MOT proves nothing except that the tester considered it safe to use. The test does not cover how much oil, brakes, water etc it will use in the next 2 months, the tester does not have a crystal ball.

Edited by skidpan on 22/02/2024 at 16:37

The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

With the car having clocked 107,000 miles and the last full service done in September, I get that just passing the MOT doesn't mean everything's okay. Since I haven't taken it for a spin yet and I'm looking for advice, should I just ditch this car?

The Hyundai i10 issue - skidpan

Since I haven't taken it for a spin yet and I'm looking for advice, should I just ditch this car?

Are you saying its used these fluids without moving?

The car might just need topping up and using, will only cost you some petrol.

But keep a close eye on the levels.

The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

Since discovering the issue, I haven't driven the car again because I know it's not safe. I'm hoping someone can shed some light on what's going on.

The Hyundai i10 issue - elekie&a/c doctor
If all the fluids have depleted within 2 months, there must be some serious leaks on the car . Is there any evidence of fluids on the ground where you park ?
The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

The last time I drove the car, I turned on the AC and noticed some hissing noise coming from it. There wasn't any noise like that when I test drove the car before buying it. As I checked to see where the noise was coming from, I discovered that all the fluids were gone. There's no evidence of fluids on the ground where I parked. This is the issue I'm facing.

The Hyundai i10 issue - elekie&a/c doctor
If there’s no fluid in the brake fluid reservoir, how do you stop the car ?
The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

There's no fluid in the brake fluid reservoir, which I hadn't noticed until I checked the hissing noise coming from the AC. Despite this, the car can still stop normally, which is very unexpected. No cap

The Hyundai i10 issue - Andrew-T

With the car having clocked 107,000 miles and the last full service done in September, I get that just passing the MOT doesn't mean everything's okay. Since I haven't taken it for a spin yet and I'm looking for advice, should I just ditch this car?

Unless the last MoT test and service were dodgy, the car was roadworthy then. Three months passed before you bought it, which you may not know much about. But whenever you get a 'new' car you should watch it closely for a few weeks to see what happens to the levels : dipstick, brake fluid, coolant. Hopefully you will notice warning signs before the dashboard lights up.

I should top things up to the correct level, drive the car and keep a regular eye.

The Hyundai i10 issue - John F

But whenever you get a 'new' car you should watch it closely for a few weeks to see what happens to the levels : dipstick, brake fluid, coolant. Hopefully you will notice warning signs before the dashboard lights up.

Absolutely. And anyone with a 10yr/100,000 mile car should have the bonnet open and checking it for levels and leaks every few hundred miles, not just at the 10,000 mile service/MoT.

The Hyundai i10 issue - paul 1963

Bit confused by the "no cap" comment? My advice would be to top up all the fluid levels and then as John has said keep a eye on the levels!

Do the brakes work properly? Seems strange the levels have dropped...

The Hyundai i10 issue - Archie Fan

The brakes work perfectly

The Hyundai i10 issue - Red Baron

So, after the last 'Service', do we know for a fact that all of the fluids you mention above were actually checked and topped up? As I suggested above, top them up again and check the levels weekly and have a good look under the bonnet for witness marks of a leak - this might be if it looks 'wet' or whitish residue left from when the fluid has evaporated.

I don't know how mechanically minded you are. Does the engine bay look clean or is it filthy so checking for leaks will be difficult. Could you wipe around some of the easy to access areas? Does the car have an undertray beneath the engine that would stop any drips onto the road/drive?