A3 TDi Funny Temp Gauge Issue
Discussion
Hi folks. My wife went out in her MY02 As Tdi (100) today and when she left the coolant warning light came up on the dash. I talked her through checking the coolant level, it's fine, so i told her to drive it and watch for the gauge to creep above the normal "90", if it did so i told her to pull over straight away.
She drove it around 8 miles to her mum's (normally plenty enough to warm it up) but the gauge never reached the normal point. It got to about the quarter mark, then dropped back down into the blue section over 30 seconds or so, then went back up to the quarter mark. It didn't go any further after this.
She's not come back in the car, so i can't get VAG-COM onto it until the morning. Anyone offer any idea's on what it might be? First thoughts are thermostat, so i might try and pick one up tomorrow.
Thoughts appreciated.
She drove it around 8 miles to her mum's (normally plenty enough to warm it up) but the gauge never reached the normal point. It got to about the quarter mark, then dropped back down into the blue section over 30 seconds or so, then went back up to the quarter mark. It didn't go any further after this.
She's not come back in the car, so i can't get VAG-COM onto it until the morning. Anyone offer any idea's on what it might be? First thoughts are thermostat, so i might try and pick one up tomorrow.
Thoughts appreciated.
martycossie said:
temp sender? may be warter pump check flow on retern pipe on header tank if flow is pore warter pump inpeler broken or heater good like hot on idle ?
Coolant temp sender was changed about 6 weeks ago as part of fault-finding which turned out to be an earth issue. My old MKIV Golf had a plastic impeller break on the water pump, and symptoms there were overheating as the coolant is flowing freely enough to cool the engine. Surely if the WP had gone this would lead to the same symptoms? Or is this the early signs of that happening?Coolant warning light will be the botle/header tank. The level sensors play up when cold, normal A3 TT Golf thing.
Temp gauge sounds like a thermostat issue to me, me had one doing just that the other day. Other garage diag'd the temp sensor, no change. A quick press of the lazer thermometer proved tha gauge was reading fine and the engine was only at 65-70degrees.
After an ammount of driving without reaching normal temp, it will log a code to say the temp sensor might be wrong. But its usually the thermostat playing up, opening too soon. Especially in the cold weather.
Temp gauge sounds like a thermostat issue to me, me had one doing just that the other day. Other garage diag'd the temp sensor, no change. A quick press of the lazer thermometer proved tha gauge was reading fine and the engine was only at 65-70degrees.
After an ammount of driving without reaching normal temp, it will log a code to say the temp sensor might be wrong. But its usually the thermostat playing up, opening too soon. Especially in the cold weather.
Greendubber said:
JKY said:
Exact sme thing on my 1.8T recently - new thermostat and now sits at bang on 90 degrees.
Same here as well, my pennies would be on the stat. My old 1.8T and more recently my S3 did the coolant warning thing too (when cold).
My A3 Tdi has done this for about 2 years now.
Initially a new stat sorted it but I think that was coincidence as it started to read low and then go up to 90 and fall again after about 6 months.
2 new stats and a new temp sensor haven't fixed it so I reckon I've got the dreaded knackered temp gauge on the instrument panel.
Costs about £150 to get it fixed and I can't be bothered.
Got to say that, after 3 and 1/2 years of owning this car 2 thinks have really peed me off.
First is the depreciation (around 50%) it was 6 years old now 9 and 1/2.
Second is the cost of servicing.
Won't be buying another Audi.
Initially a new stat sorted it but I think that was coincidence as it started to read low and then go up to 90 and fall again after about 6 months.
2 new stats and a new temp sensor haven't fixed it so I reckon I've got the dreaded knackered temp gauge on the instrument panel.
Costs about £150 to get it fixed and I can't be bothered.
Got to say that, after 3 and 1/2 years of owning this car 2 thinks have really peed me off.
First is the depreciation (around 50%) it was 6 years old now 9 and 1/2.
Second is the cost of servicing.
Won't be buying another Audi.
rfisher said:
My A3 Tdi has done this for about 2 years now.
Initially a new stat sorted it but I think that was coincidence as it started to read low and then go up to 90 and fall again after about 6 months.
2 new stats and a new temp sensor haven't fixed it so I reckon I've got the dreaded knackered temp gauge on the instrument panel.
Costs about £150 to get it fixed and I can't be bothered.
Got to say that, after 3 and 1/2 years of owning this car 2 thinks have really peed me off.
First is the depreciation (around 50%) it was 6 years old now 9 and 1/2.
Second is the cost of servicing.
Won't be buying another Audi.
I have the exact same experience.Initially a new stat sorted it but I think that was coincidence as it started to read low and then go up to 90 and fall again after about 6 months.
2 new stats and a new temp sensor haven't fixed it so I reckon I've got the dreaded knackered temp gauge on the instrument panel.
Costs about £150 to get it fixed and I can't be bothered.
Got to say that, after 3 and 1/2 years of owning this car 2 thinks have really peed me off.
First is the depreciation (around 50%) it was 6 years old now 9 and 1/2.
Second is the cost of servicing.
Won't be buying another Audi.
Right after I bought the car (used - 15 years old) my temp gauge never reached 90°C so I decided to replace (because I didn't know the car's service history): engine temp sensor, radiator temp sensor and the thermostat. Now most days the temp gauge stays at 90°C but there are these "weird" days when the temp gauge suddenly "decides" to start jumping up and down until I hit the instrument cluster with my hand and goes back to 90°C - NO JOKE.
So yeah my temp gauge is broken as well and I completely agree with you about deprecation and extremely high service prices. An Audi dealer told me it'd cost me 800€ to get a new instrument cluster because it can't be repaired, that's almost the price I payed for the car
... ridiculous... This was my first and will be the the last Audi as well.
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