2013 golf Coolant leak

See if you can trace where the leak is coming from, a chance a stone hit the radiator too so have a look for any leakage signs there too.

Do you know if it's just leaking when you are driving the car or is it also leaking when car is sitting idle with engine off?

Fortunately with a coolant leak, unless it's something like head gasket or EGR cooler (cooler leaks onto exhaust and is burned off) then it will be easy enough to spot.

Wetness around drivers side engine bay where serpentine belt is, could be water pump, wetness around where top or bottom radiator hose meets engine could be thermostat (unsure if 2013 golf has thermostat mounted after top or bottom radiator hose).

Take car for a short spin untill it warms up, pull over, check under the bonnet. Leave engine running and you should see coolant pissing out of wherever there's a leak, as the system is under pressure, get someone to rev the engine while checking and it may be easier to spot.

It could be something as simple as a radiator hose if they have the tiniest split in them coolant will find its way out through that split due to the pressurised system.

Most will be easily repairable and not too expensive, the danger is allowing coolant level to drop too low and cause overheating, once coolant level is kept topped up it will be okay untill it's repaired.

Another way to check is to take the undertray off the car, place a large piece of cardboard underneath the engine bay and check the following day to see if the cardboard has collected a wetness in one specific area, that's likely your coolant leak ,will only work if there's something like the water pump, thermostat or a split in a hose

It's safe, the coolant leak is not the danger, it's the loss of coolant due to the leak which will cause overheating. so unless it's pouring out then you can drive, just keep some coolant in the car at all times, you will have to be religious about checking the level after every drive once the car cools down as hot coolant that shows at the min mark will be lower when it's cooled down. I'd avoid going on long journeys also and don't use the car unless you absolutely need it.

I'm thinking it's not water pump as the car would be overheating in a short period of time from when engine is turned on.

My guess is either thermostat gasket, the thermostat housings gasket,or a split in a hose.

I once had a slow coolant leak which turned out to be a very slight rip in the top radiator hose right where it connects to the engine, but before the hose clamp, just cut the hose back before the rip, it was connected up and all was well again.

I would try looking under the bonnet while the engine is running, if it's any of what I've listed above it will be easy enough to spot

VAG group removed the age limit on timing belt intervals on all their engines from 2011, otherwise known as 11 years ago. The revision was that all belts were now good for 210k kms with no ago limit.

I'm 6 years with VW now and i can honestly say i've not seen one break a belt. Not one. They are perfectly able for it. I'd have no concerns over one.

Would you ever take your fear mongering elsewhere. Harping on about it not being the water pump, as soon as it was confirmed you were wrong and it was the water pump you're changing the conversation to some other misleading shite. Hopefully nobody takes you seriously.

I'm not believing the marketing department, i'm believing what i'm seeing with my own two eyes, thousands if not tens of thousands of cars over the years, not one with a broken belt. It doesn't happen.

210kms is only 130k miles, it's hardly unthinkable that a belt can last that long. Ford have been doing 100k mile no age limit belts since the 90's.

I intended it to be rude and i didn't try to cover it up. It is what it is. The advice you are giving is terribly out of line with reality and could end up leaving people badly out of pocket. Please consider stopping.