Hi All,

 

Please could somebody advise on my problem, I have searched this forum and internet for information but would like advice on my problem. 

 

My car engine management light comes on for a few days and sometimes is off for a few days, I have noticed that when I start the car it doesn't usually come on until the temp gauge on the dash gets to about half way between the temp it should normally be when fully warmed up. I haven't experienced anything wrong with the way the car drives and idling hasn't been rough. Once the glow plug light stayed on a rather long time before I could start the engine which I believe can be a symptom of the code P0118 error. Also I am not seeing any losses in mpg. 

 

Anyway my mate has a Code reader thingy, so I went up to his house he attached it amd the following error came up

 

P0118 - Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Circuit High.

 

All the info on the net I have looked at says I need to replace the Coolant temperature sensor and check the wiring. Am I right in thinking it can't be the sending unit as the temperature gauge on the dash still works?

 

I watched a video on how to replace this sensor and even though it doesn't look too difficult I am not confident enough to do it myself (looks like you have to be quick to get the old one out and get the new one in!) so I was going to ring the garage today.

 

Then yesterday i was talking to a bloke who said he was a mechanic and I told him my problem and he said that because I plugged the diagnostics tool in and the engine management light wasn't on at the time then because it is a skoda/vw group then it automatically will give the coolant error code he said he sees it all the time on VW, Skoda and Seat cars and said I have to have the engine management light on when scanning to give the correct code. He said if the car running ok that i should just ignore it as he sees it all the time with the engine management light coming on in skoda/vw/seat cars and there won't be anything wrong.

 

I am sure though when I scanned it, and true the engine management light wasn't on at the time it said something like pending and then the code which surely was the code that has been stored on the ECU last time it was triggered? I have a feeling that what this bloke was saying was a load of rubbish but wondered what other people think?

 

What are the potential problems of ignoring this fault if it is the coolant temperature sensor apart from lower fuel economy?

 

My gut feeling is to just get the coolant temperature sensor changed and not listen to this bloke I saw yesterday. Just wondered what people thought of his comments. I am suspicious also the fact he was telling all the women he was in the army and when he talked to me he was a mechanic. So maybe his just full of you know what!!!

 

Thanks

This is not complicated, you need a new coolant temperature sensor fitted, ignore the idiot you spoke to yesterday and take it to a mechanic you trust and get them to change it and reset the ECU to the default map so the engine can learn the new (accurate) temperature readings from the sensor.

Cheers Sepulchrave, think I just needed to confirm that the idiot was in fact an idiot lol! Going to get it booked in and done.

Yeah, he was talking absolute crap.