Blinking problems!!

Think my 12 month old thermostat has gone pop! This morning the car would only register around 70 driving home it got up to 80.

Weird thing is, if I let idle it won't go up to 90???

One thing I did which may be a coincidence is topping up the coolant.

Any other ideas??

Sounds like the stat is stuck open.

Check the sensor for the coolant. Common problem. Do you have the green one installed?

Temp sensor failure on the gauge output usually causes sudden erratic needle swings or no gauge at all. Described symptoms are classic for a stuck open stat. Was the stat you fitted 12 months ago genuine VAG?

I think it was a Meyer one from eBay (google fu suggested they were OK). Think I may have to bite the bullet and have my pants pulled down by the dealer. Not looking forward to this job again lol

As is the case with VAG engine sensors, buy cheap buy twice, same applies for stats in my experience.

Edited 25 November, 201411 yr by pauldazzle

It is bamboozling that something so simple is hard to aftermarket correctly lol.

I found a genuine one on ebay for £16.99 today. Will have to inspect it for authenticity when it turns up. Go on skodaparts to get the part no and then stick it in ebay. Genuine ones seem to all start around the £15 mark. Its the little spec of green on the right hand side of the engine just under that lower plastic engine cover? How easy is it to change, haynes says something about draining coolant, I heard rumours of a cheat method.

I think you're on about the temp sender.  That's a doddle to change, there're loads of how tos if you google it.

 

Also does the genuine thermostat come with an O ring?

Edited 25 November, 201411 yr by monkeychild

No to the O ring, comes in a separate bag with separate part number.

Thermostat on my Fabia wasn't much harder than the temp sender to change. You do have to drain some coolant though. Not done it on the Octy, but I can't imagine it's that much different.

Edited 26 November, 201411 yr by samj2013

The thermostat is a bit tricky due to the position near the alternator, you need some long quarter inch bars and wobble bits

Edited 27 November, 201411 yr by Liverpool-Lad

£3 for an o ring!! 36p from ecp!!!?

Blinking problems!!

Think my 12 month old thermostat has gone pop! This morning the car would only register around 70 driving home it got up to 80.

Weird thing is, if I let idle it won't go up to 90???

One thing I did which may be a coincidence is topping up the coolant.

Any other ideas??

My Tdi (ASV engine) has done exactly the same this week. I dont know where you live but the temp here was -2 the beggining of this week so I was expecting it to run a bit cooler, I am still getting 54MPG (according to the computer) and the heater is still blowing in nice hot air so I am going to live with it......If the outside temp drops below -10 in the coming weeks I may change my mind and have to get the wallet and tools out though!!

Mine is still doing it. It started at the beginning of the week when it was-2

Have you swapped it yet?

Right I've swapped the bloody thing (hate the job). Its still just sitting at 80?????

I get heat from the climate unit no bother.

Edited 29 November, 201411 yr by monkeychild

Bloody temp sensor had gone as well!!!

Sounds like you are having fun. The pattern thermostats and sensors are troublesome as you have found!!

Its all good now though lol. Bloody car!! It's a good job I like it

I learnt the same way with a GSF `Hans Pires` which failed within 12 months. Switched to genuine and been fine since, a few years ago.

Fingers crossed it behaves now

 

Cheers for the help!!!

Edited 29 November, 201411 yr by monkeychild