Sci-fi_Wasabi

This is just an FYI for people who may see the same thing and worry. As it is now 1'F here in Chicago I checked my coolant level. The coolant looked orange as in the picture. I recently did a drain and fill from G12++(pink) to G13("lilac"). The car has never seen anything but Audi brand coolant, previously drained coolant looked pristine, and the tank was fairly clean inside when I did the change, so it's not sediment on the bottom.
I took a straw, stirred it up a bit and took a sample from deep in there and put it in a cup, and i could see the the color was indeed actually lilac/pink -ish.
I set the cup outside in the freezing cold and the color remains lilac/pink (and thankfully did not freeze) incase someone is wondering if it changes colors in the cold. I don't think my pink G12++ ever looked orange, maybe it's the mix of coolants and the light just playing some tricks in the plastic coolant tank that makes it look orange... but it is fine for those who run into the same issue. Anyway, if anyone else has seen this phenomenon chime in.

kumathebully

noticed the same thing on my overflow tank but in a 2013 Q5 with a 2.0t, did some test like you did and the same turned out to be true., it only looks orange if you shine a light from the top looking down on the coolant but if you take a sample out it looks straight pink.

Jteetie

Thanks for this post. I've spent the last hour trying to figure out what coolant was in my Audi A4. It should be G12, bit the color looked orange. I couldn't figure it out and was ready to call my shop, passed off. But it's not orange, it just looks it with a flash light in the resivour. I wouldn't have thought to test the color outside the engine if I didn't find this. Thanks again.