I have just bought this car, second user.  The day after I brought it home (yesterday) the coolant light came on on the dash, and I got one ring when it bobbed up. This wasn't happening when I brought it home the day before... Yesterday I got this problem first thing. I checked the coolant reservoir, it's at the right level, towards the 'full' line. Wondered if the sensor was just playing up as it was very cold. Drove it around the block, the light went off after approx 400 yards. So I drove it 9 miles up to my friends house, no light. Stopped there for a while, and when I went to go home, it lit up again on start up and after driving for a short while, the light went out again. Same again this morning, although I didn't drive it anywhere. If I leave it on the drive with the engine idling, the coolant level light stays on. Seems if I drive it up the road, it goes off.

 

This car has a three month sales warranty on it, but I just thought I would ask the question, before I take it back. Is this just a dodgy sensor? It goes off and stays off once the car is warm and driven down the road. No problems and no warning light on after a few hundred yards of driving. Is it just the sensor playing up in the cold?  All seems fine, although I wish I had a visible dial to show the engine temp, so I could check that next time I'm out.  Can someone tell me if there would be a warning if the engine got too hot, or what the actual temp of the engine should operate at? I can guarantee this will happen again tomorrow. 

 

I need the car not to be back at the dealers this week and next. I have appointments all next week (and one tomorrow as well!)

 

Thanks for any replies!

 

Try scraping the two metal prongs in the expansion tank with a screwdriver.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Check the radiator for leaks.

If the level is fine then it's probably just the sensor in the header tank. This comes complete with the tank but it's not expensive. I'd get a new one fitted if you have warranty.

Will try all suggestions, and thanks for the quick replies. Wouldn't the level in the reservoir go down if there was a radiator leak?

 

Will try the screwdriver thing and check for leaks. Will I be ok driving it for another week before I take it back under the warranty? 

 

M

 

PS. I think I had a dodgy dealer here. There are several other things wrong, which I just didn't notice at the time. Small things, no cigarette lighter end bit (but the socket works, thankfully, as I need a sat nav sometimes!) and a broken arm rest, the complete top half is missing, folded back when I bought it, I never checked.. Back seats at either side go back to where the boot cover is but the middle one won't budge, so you can see into the boot. Ah me, should have gone to Specsavers!

The middle seat does not recline back as the outside seats

Was it the blue light or the red? If it's the blue it stays on till the engine is up to temp.

If red it's a problem.

Was it the blue light or the red? If it's the blue it stays on till the engine is up to temp.

If red it's a problem.

That would make sense - it's the blue light that comes on. Only when starting up and goes out after a short drive. I did try leaving it idling on the drive to get warm, but the light wouldn't go out until I drove it down the road. So it's not a problem then?

 

The car was 'allegedly' fully serviced before I bought it and has a 12 month MOT. but like I daid earlier, not a main Skoda dealer, just a general car sales place.

Edited 15 January, 201610 yr by Morgana

From the manual. I have to type blue and red as the icon does not come through in the paste. If you get one ping on a cold morning it could just be telling you that the outside temperature is below 4 degrees C if this is so the outside temp will flash

 

Coolant temperature/coolant quantity  

The warning light Blue lights up until the engine reaches operating temperature3).

Avoid running at high engine speeds, at full throttle and at severe engine loads.

The warning light red comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.

The coolant temperature is too high or the coolant level too low if the warning light

red lights up or flashes while driving.

An audible signal sounds as an additional warning signal.

In this case stop and switch the engine off and check the coolant level; top up the

coolant as necessary  page 158, “Replenishing the coolant”.

Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the conditions

prevailing to top up with coolant. Keep the engine switched off and obtain

professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe

engine damage.

If the coolant is within the specified range, the increased temperature may be

caused by an operating problem at the coolant fan. Check the fuse for the coolant

fan, replace it if necessary  page 185, “Fuse assignment at the battery (manual

gearbox, automatic gearbox DSG)”.

If the warning light red does not go out although the coolant is at the correct level

and also the fuse of the fan is in proper order, do not continue driving. Contact a

specialist garage to obtain assistance.

Please refer to the following guidelines  page 157, “Cooling system”.

The following text will be displayed in the information display:

Check coolant! Owner's manual!

 

Outside temperature

The outside temperature appears in the display when the ignition is switched on.

If the outside temperature drops below +4 °C, a snow flake symbol (warning signal

for ice on the road) appears in front of the temperature indicator and flashes for 10

seconds, then remains displayed together with the outside temperature. At the

same time an audible signal sounds. After pressing the rocker switch on the

windshield wiper lever

 

 

Edited 15 January, 201610 yr by greens_peace

Thank you Greens-peace for going to the trouble of posting the relevant page of the manual for me. I have the printed owners manual, which I did check first, before posting this question. It makes no mention of red or blue lights in the printed manual!  It says 'The warning light comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on' - and so do a lot of other lights as well. Next, it says, 'The coolant temp is too high or too low if the warning light does not go out after the engine is started or flashes while driving.' I'm assuming here that this is the red light the printed manual is going on about.

 

There is no mention in the printed owners manual of 'the warning light Blue lights up until the engine reaches operating temperature' as you have quoted above. As the blue light goes off after driving for a short while, I think this is what it is supposed to do!... And I can therefore assume that the online manual is much better than the printed manual and has maybe been updated to provide a bit more information and clarification!

Edited 16 January, 201610 yr by Morgana

Most cars have the blue light indicator and red warning for overheating. I prefer a temp gauge. All engines heat up quicker when driven than idling. that is why the handbook says to drive the car as soon as possible for quicker warm-up. not so easy on cold frosty mornings.

Edited 21 January, 201610 yr by edbostan

Most cars have the blue light indicator and red warning for overheating. I prefer a temp gauge. All engines heat up quicker when driven than idling. that is why the handbook says to drive the car as soon as possible for quicker warm-up. not so easy on cold frosty mornings.

So do I!  My last car had a temp gauge, which came in handy when towing as the engine naturally gets a bit hotter. I could keep an eye on it that way.  I don't know how I'm going to go on with this one, if the first warning I get that the engine is hot is a red light and I have to pull over or stop... no early warning system?

Edited 23 January, 201610 yr by Morgana