Temperature gauge not working

[TimmyB]

Hi all, new member (and new to the world of Skoda) here.

I picked up my Octavia today - ex demonstrator vRS 230 Estate in black, what a car!

Unfortunately the temperature sensor doesn't seem to be working. On my 2 1/2 hour drive back from the dealer the engine temperature needle didn't move from coldest position. I've got the car booked in to be investigated in a week's time, but is there anything simple or commonly known that would cause this?

[KenONeill]

If it's like all the earlier cars the CTS has 2 channels; one for the EMS and another for the gauge. Does the economy suggest that the car's running fully rich at all times?

[mbames]

Given it is a 230 and a new car to the OP, it might be hard to determine that from the current MPG figures ;-)

 

Anyone know if VCDS can read both feeds?

[TimmyB]

My motorway journey averaged mid 30s, however I wasn't completely driving for economy! The engine has done under 1000 miles so presumably won't be running at full efficiency anyway.

If there's nothing simple I can check (I don't have an ECU tool or VCDS) then I'll just put up with it until the dealer can investigate.

[Gabbo]

If there was really a problem with the coolant temperature sensor you would also have a MIL lamp.

There should be diagnostics which detect when a sensor is "stuck in range" also.

 

I'd guess theres a problem with the needle itself or the instrument cluster in some way.

Did it do the same thing the next day or after turning the ignition off and on again when the engine was hot?

 

I've not heard of any other O3 owners complaining about the same thing.

[KenONeill]

mid 30s on a car that's not  run in isn't unreasonable.

 

On Gabbo's suggestion, try tapping the instrument glass (engine hot, car at rest).

[TimmyB]

Just to update in case anyone else is searching for the same issue in future - Skoda found that I had a faulty dash, they are going to order and fit a new one.

[themanwithnoaim]

You can always get the Maxi-dot to display your oil temp just to know everything is within safe operating temps.

 

A vRS 230 should run at about 120C when driven correctly !!!

 

[TimmyB]

5 hours ago, themanwithnoaim said:

You can always get the Maxi-dot to display your oil temp just to know everything is within safe operating temps.

 

A vRS 230 should run at about 120C when driven correctly !!!

 

 

I hadn't thought to check it that way, thanks (although I might try to keep my temps slightly lower than that!)

[Skoaxe]

My 2017 VRS 230 might have the same problem. Gauge didn’t move this morning on my 30 mile trip. 

 

Not great for a car with only 7k on the clock 

[YMe]

On 02/02/2017 at 07:15, themanwithnoaim said:

You can always get the Maxi-dot to display your oil temp just to know everything is within safe operating temps.

 

A vRS 230 should run at about 120C when driven correctly !!!

 

 

Can you define correctly??  

[themanwithnoaim]

8 minutes ago, YMe said:

 

Can you define correctly??  

Driven like you just stole it

[TimmyB]

 

On 03/01/2018 at 08:08, Skoaxe said:

My 2017 VRS 230 might have the same problem. Gauge didn’t move this morning on my 30 mile trip. 

 

Not great for a car with only 7k on the clock 

 

Mine has been fine since the dash was replaced, hopefully this will fix yours too.

[Ootohere]

So is this is a thread about a Coolant Gauge and needle not moving and a gauge replaced

& nothing to do with Indicated oil temps & people averaging trips at not high averages and on about 120*oC oil temps?

[Skoaxe]

30 minutes ago, TimmyB said:

 

 

Mine has been fine since the dash was replaced, hopefully this will fix yours too.

It’s started working again now! Hopefully it’s just the Guage and not something more serious 

[LittleMissFire]

My VRS has just started doing the same thing - car seems to warm up OK & gauge normally goes up to about 90 & then I suddenly notice the cooling fan/s are running full speed & the needle’s at zero!!

[gon]

On 22/09/2018 at 16:51, LittleMissFire said:

My VRS has just started doing the same thing - car seems to warm up OK & gauge normally goes up to about 90 & then I suddenly notice the cooling fan/s are running full speed & the needle’s at zero!!

Yup.... Just bought a 2013 vrs and on my way home had exactly these symptoms.... Couldn't describe them any better.... 

Have u ever found the problem / solution? 

[LittleMissFire]

Yes, it’s all fixed now, turned out it was the thermostat assembly, which at first I was sceptical about the diagnosis until I saw the component - thermostat housing has lots of pipe inlets/outlets & a big electrical connection to it, runs perfectly now it’s been replaced.

[Gliderguider]

And how much is a thermostat assembly (let's see if the dealer is being reasonable) ? Looks like I fried mine at the weekend...got stuck in traffic on a 1in3 gradient with a heavy trailer on the back, by the time we'd found enough traction to get up the hill, everything was rather warm and the gauge was doing as LittleMissFire describes. 

[LittleMissFire]

Fortunately, the car came with a 1 year warranty when I bought it but I think the bill would have been about £400 at a main Skoda dealer, yikes!

[Mikebham]

On 25/06/2019 at 19:39, LittleMissFire said:

Fortunately, the car came with a 1 year warranty when I bought it but I think the bill would have been about £400 at a main Skoda dealer, yikes!

 

Hi, by any chance, did it have a part number / description of the part on the invoice for this? Looks like I've got the same problem 😞

 

 

 

 

[LittleMissFire]

No invoice but they gave me the old part which I still haven't got round to throwing out!

 

The part# 06L 121 111 J  - when I looked this up all the pictures seemed to include the water pump part as well - hence the exorbitant price!

I can only assume the water pump part, in my instance, wasn't replaced though, just the defective thermostat section?!

 

Hope this helps.

 

[Mikebham]

Thats great thank 

11 minutes ago, LittleMissFire said:

No invoice but they gave me the old part which I still haven't got round to throwing out!

 

The part# 06L 121 111 J  - when I looked this up all the pictures seemed to include the water pump part as well - hence the exorbitant price!

I can only assume the water pump part, in my instance, wasn't replaced though, just the defective thermostat section?!

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Thats great, thank you very much!

 

Strangely I've seen on a similar thread now, the same part number, but with M at the end instead of J. Wonder what the difference is!

 

Is yours a tsi 220 too?