I guess I'm not the first to suffer with the mk3 Fabia diesel getting a bit too warm, it seemed to start about three weeks after it come back from hayseldens after they replaced a split hydraulic clutch pipe. The temp gauge climbed slowly & seemed to hover around 110 & then dropped back to 90 after about ten minutes & it was fine for about a couple of weeks, then it started to do it again but only when I opened it up on dual carriageways or fast roads & the temp gauge was fluctuating between 105 - 110 & the oil temp climbed to 110 as well, checked under the bonnet & couldn't see any coolant leaks etc. Then it seemed to start doing it more at low speeds, the coolant temp would climb & the drop back to 90.

 

Then I decided to give it a motorway run to see if it was the dpf that was trying to regen so went down the M1 keeping a constant 70mph & sure enough the coolant temp went up & sat at 110, then when I checked the oil temp it was showing 122 so I pulled off the motorway & carried on using slow roads, the car sat about two hours & decided to see if I could replicate the fault on my way home so come back up the motorway but the coolant temp sat at 90 & never went over & the oil temp peaked at 102 & never went any higher, but since that trip the coolant temp seems to rise intermittently so I'm not sure if the thermostats at fault or the pump, or is it a faulty sensor somewhere, I should mention that when it was running hot the fan was running at full speed.

 

So the car is currently sat in another skoda dealership over the new year waiting for the fault to be diagnosed, at least Ive got a new Citigo monte carlo to drive around in.

 

So is it suffering the infamous water pump issue or is it something else, I should add that it was recalled for the coolant change & the engine was also flushed apparently.

 

TIA

Edited 30 December, 20187 yr by Rich_84

We can throw hypotheses all day long but first you need to gather data for clear evidence of the fault. Best advice is to start by checking/scanning the ECU for errors. Of course, all that after a visual inspection for obvious reasons like obstructed radiator, kinked hoses, etc.

Any overheating issue has to be addressed without delay otherwise you risk expensive repairs.

There is the 'pinned thread' at the top of the page for any 1.4 TDI Euro 6 owners unaware of the Coolant / Water pump issue & the Service Campaign.

I've had a water pump failure on the1.4 diesel, I had thought oil temps were fluctuating a little higher over a few days and then both oil and water temps properly shot up on the motorway, limped off the motorway and stopped for a bit and then continued on back roads but temps were okay.

Let the dealer pick it up and they eventually said they got it to replicate then fixed.

Prior to this fault and after pump replacement the water temp never budges from 90C once warmed up, oil temp does creep up but rarely past 103C.

All recall type fixes were done as I get regular services due to high mileage.

It was the pump, it's been replaced under warranty & I hope it's fixed for good.

My wife's 16 plate Fabia Monte Carlo exhibited the overheating symptoms described in this post.

 

I talked to the main dealer from which we bought the car and they advised that the water pump would need to be changed.

Due to the distance involved going to the main dealer,  I decided to get the water pump replaced by a small local garage,  who also quoted a lower price.

 

Unfortunately the local dealer did not suceed in fixing the problem.  It turned out that they had used a compatible water pump.  Further investigation then identifed that there is an solenoid fitted to the pump and it is this item that seems to cause the overheating issue.  The Skoda oem replacement pump apparently comes complete with a new solenoid whilst the compatible water pump did not.  The local garage were able to source a new solenoid but were only able to fit it by removing and then refitting the pump.  

 

Its a bit 'disappointing' that the cost of the repair at the local garage turned out to significantly higher than it would have cost at the main dealer. 

Hope this posting is of value to anyone else who suffers this irritating problem with the Fabia.