I'm having an issue with the coolant indicator. Here is the story, I hope somebody has an idea what could be going on here.

Yesterday we bought our new Citigo. I was driving around for a few hours and later I took my wife for a trip. At one point we stopped for 5 minutes tops, leaving the engine running. While I was instructing her about the car an audible signal went off and the coolant temperature indicator started blinking. Hoping is was just a glitch I turned off the engine and restarted the car. The indicator stopped blinking for and we drove on.

Very shortly hereafter the same thing happened. I stopped at a parking lot and looked in the manual (p. 20). I checked the coolant level (it was fine) and the oil level (also fine). The manual said to check the fuse for the fan (S2 and S3 in the engine compartment cf. p.141). There was no fuse in S2 so I assumed a forgetful worker at the factory has missed a fuse. I called the Škoda hotline who sent for roadside assistance. The manual doesn't say which type of fuse should be used in S2 so the assistance guy connected a 20 and told me to drive to the workshop.

At the workshop they agreed that it was the right fuse but they changed it with another fuse of the same type. I drove home happy that is was such a small issue.

This morning I drove to work and experienced no issues. After work I went to pick up my wife and we had a little trip around town - still no issues. After I had put her off at home I went to buy groceries. Still no problem and on my way home from the shop I decided to take a little joyride.

At one point I stopped the car, leaving the engine running, while checking headlights, figuring out the fog lights etc. and suddenly the signal went off again and the coolant temperature indicator started blinking. ""&/"#¤" I thought. I tried stopping and starting the car a few times to no avail. After a few hundred meters the indicator came back on, so I drove to the workshop. It was the same guys I had met the previous day. They took a quick look and couldn't find anything suspicious and the engine didn't feel overly hot. He said the fan should not be running at this time of year and asked if I had heard the fan running (apparently it should be quite loud) but I hadn't.

We agreed I should come back on Tuesday for a more in-depth examination and that I should be able to drive it in the meantime. I had no issues when driving home from the workshop.

Does anyone know what could be the problem here? Do you even have a fuse in compartment S2? Could it be a sensor issue? I'm blank but would like to know what to expect on Tuesday.

Edited 23 October, 201213 yr by Rothbard

My thoughts would be for the workshop to let it idle to the point when the light starts blinking then hook it up to their diagnostics. May be a sensor.

Mick

Edited 23 October, 201213 yr by MickA

Check the fuse didn't blow. That would cause the sensor to alert if engine temp exceeded when fan should come on. This would be same scenario as when you had no fuse fitted. I have not ever been aware if the fan came on or not, so can't say whether it is likely to come on or not while the car is idling at this time of year. Very strange it does not say what fuse should be fitted.

My thoughts would be for the workshop to let it idle to the point when the light starts blinking then hook it up to their diagnostics. May be a sensor.

Mick

I assume that's what they will do on Tuesday. Hopefully its just a sensor problem and the engine won't overheat during the week. Any thoughts on how long it should take to fix/change a sensor?

Check the fuse didn't blow. That would cause the sensor to alert if engine temp exceeded when fan should come on. This would be same scenario as when you had no fuse fitted. I have not ever been aware if the fan came on or not, so can't say whether it is likely to come on or not while the car is idling at this time of year. Very strange it does not say what fuse should be fitted.

The mechanic checked the fuse and it was not blown. Since it doesn't seem to be a fuse problem after all, I wonder if there's even supposed to be a fuse in socket S2. Does your Citigo have one?

Perhaps they were wrong about the fuse type? Does anyone know where to find an official fuse diagram?

Edited 23 October, 201213 yr by Rothbard

So I found the layout for the up! (PDF) which should be the same presumably. Here it says the fuse should be 30A. According to the same layout 30A is green and I'm pretty sure the one they added is green as well. I'll look at it in the morning.

Such a great start with the new car :(

Edit: I'd be very grateful if someone could tell me whether there is an S2 fuse in their Citigo and what color it is.

Edited 23 October, 201213 yr by Rothbard

Hope you get it sorted soon and can enjoy driving again.

I had exactly the same fault on a loan Roomster I was given, drove it back to the workshop and there was a temperature sensor where the cable to it was not plugged on correctly.

Perhaps it is a similar fault or more likely it will be the sensor is 'breaking down' once the engine heats up ??

Thank you, unfortunately it’s not solved yet :( I drove to work just now (around 8km rush-hour traffic) and the same thing happened. Upon arrival I opened the bonnet and touched the engine, it wasn’t even lukewarm.

I’m in no way, shape, or form a mechanic, but I’m fairly certain it’s either a sensor- or a fuse issue.

I had exactly the same fault on a loan Roomster I was given, drove it back to the workshop and there was a temperature sensor where the cable to it was not plugged on correctly.

Perhaps it is a similar fault or more likely it will be the sensor is 'breaking down' once the engine heats up ??

Thanks for responding, I'll mention your case to the mechanic. If it’s a loose cable it shouldn't take very long to fix.

Edit: I'd be very grateful if someone could tell me whether there is an S2 fuse in their Citigo and what color it is.

This should help...

Car working fine for 1700 miles.

This should help...

Car working fine for 1700 miles.

Thank you. I see you don’t have the S2 fuse either. Now I’m almost certain it’s a sensor/cable issue.

A short update: I called the dealer and we agreed I'd come by today. Strange thing is the issue didn't occur for two days. I even tried recreating the situation but nothing happened. Very strange but we’ll see what the mechanic says today.

was it colder the days you had the fault?

i had a sensor fault on roomster and wifes mk1 vrs both flasshed coolant light and 3 beeps but only when ambient temp was below about 5-7 deg overnight

I'm not sure what the temperature has been but it's been colder these last days than it was when we just got the car.

The dealer kept postponing but hopefully it will be fixed tomorrow. He wrote an email where he said they had ordered the necessary spare part, so it looks like they know what’s wrong. I also talked to a colleague who bought an up! from the same dealer. She said she had experienced the exact same thing and they had told her it was not the first car with this problem. Apparently there is some issue with the coolant beholder which should take half an hour to fix.

We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

A (hopefully) final update

I just had the car fixed (and boy, what a car :love:). It was an issue with the coolant tank. I'm not sure what exactly the problem was but they had to change it. There were a lot of people in the workshop so I didn't want to hold up the line by demanding an comprehensive explanation, but they'll send the receipt which should contain a summary.

To anybody who may experience the same thing with their Citigo: Tell the mechanic it's a relatively common issue in the up! and they should first and foremost look at the coolant tank. If they have the spare parts required it's a 30min operation.

If anyone gets a problem similar to this, they can keep an eye on the actual temperature using the PID if they have it. That PID is a really useful piece of kit and not just a pretty screen.

If anyone gets a problem similar to this, they can keep an eye on the actual temperature using the PID if they have it. That PID is a really useful piece of kit and not just a pretty screen.

Good point. Our car remained at a steady 90c operating temperature which is exactly the same temperature as now, after it's been fixed.

A (hopefully) final update

I just had the car fixed (and boy, what a car :love:). It was an issue with the coolant tank. I'm not sure what exactly the problem was but they had to change it. There were a lot of people in the workshop so I didn't want to hold up the line by demanding an comprehensive explanation, but they'll send the receipt which should contain a summary.

To anybody who may experience the same thing with their Citigo: Tell the mechanic it's a relatively common issue in the up! and they should first and foremost look at the coolant tank. If they have the spare parts required it's a 30min operation.

Glad it's fixed now!

Is there a sensor in the coolant tank or is it just a reservoir? If there is no sensor in it seems strange it causes this fault!

Any way glad you are sorted

Dave

I would expect to find a level sensor in the reservoir.