Hello all. I'm new here as I have just bought my first Felicia, a 2000 1.3 mpi GLXi. I am already impressed with this site and the amount of information available here.

Anyway, my problem - the temperature guage on my Felicia sits at between 75 - 80 degrees on the open road and at about midway on the guage when driving around town. This looks like the classic thermostat failure issue. Having read the numerous threads here on the stat issue, I was convinced that the stat was indeed faulty.

However when I questioned the (non Skoda) dealer where I bought the car, he said it was normal for the engine temperature to fluctuate. But isn't that what the stat is for in the first place i.e. to keep the temperature constant.

So basically what I want to know from all you Felicia experts is this: where should the needle sit in the guage and should it change depending on the type of driving.

Many thanks

Just above middle mark on the gauge, and should only get hot when in trafic. The only other time you will see it drop below the middle line is when the heating in the car is on, as the heater matrix, is fed by the water system in the car.

I am not an expert, but it sounds like there is a problem, and possibly your thermostat or sensor. But I would wait for some others the confirm your issue. As with the garage in question, you may want to direct them to this forum, so as to help them brush up there knowledge as it were.... he he he

I hope my response has been useful anyhow

Q

Hi Mate

The thermostat is in a housing.

If you buy the full housing you get the sensor with it.

Try Butts of Bawtry they are pretty cheap with these.

But be aware that the housing is about £50.00 + VAT

Both thermostats and sensors have problems , but this way you replace both

Sarah

Thanks for the fast replies!

Looks like the garage just doesn't want the expense of doing the work.

I think I might get a quote from a Skoda garage and present it to them

Thanks again

Sorry to bring this up again but...

I have contacted my nearest Skoda garage and the mechanic I spoke to said it was normal for the temp to drop when driving on the open road :confused: . I thought the whole idea of the stat was to regulate the temperature!!. I had rang Skoda because I wanted to force the dealer to change the stat by saying "the Skoda man says its faulty" etc.

I was also looking at one of the many threads on stat problems:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/felicia-fun-forman/felicia-1-3-temp-gauge-fan-overheat-what-does-yours-do-please/57443/

and post 4 from Skoda.fr says:

the 99 model always 'on the move' reads lower than the 96 non face lift. I put this down to the gaping big hole the radiator sits in.... lots more air circulation.

The 99 seems to kick the fan in a little 'cooler' 100ish. The 96 however runs all day at 70, but when it gets very hot at 110 fan.

This is what mine does i.e. runs all day on the open road @70 deg.

I've been driving cars for 20 years - everything from a banger upwards. I always assumed that a working stat keeps the car at a constant temperature, regardless of driving environment. Is a felicia different?

Should I spend the

Remove the temperature sensor and have a look and stick your finger in the housing, if you see or feel any loose bits then the thermostat has broken up.

Remove the temperature sensor and have a look and stick your finger in the housing, if you see or feel any loose bits then the thermostat has broken up.

I was just about to say that.... just make sure your car is cold at the time... for safety and all

I have a T - 99 reg Felicia and wether on the motorway or around town it stay just above the middle line, until you get into traffic then it starts to heat up until the fan kicks in.... but it has to be really bad traffic

Q

I have a T - 99 reg Felicia and wether on the motorway or around town it stay just above the middle line,

Hi Quetz

Thats exactly the kind of feedback that I want to hear!. I assume that all Felicias are the same.

Iwill take Fordfans advice and remove the temp switch for a look - good idea

Thanks again

My Felly always sits just on the middle line, or slightly under. If the needle gets to about the 3/4s area, the fan kicks in, it looks hot, but it isn't.

Been that way since new, I sit in heavy traffic a heck of a lot and it has never overheated in 10 years. The wifes Favourit has a lower setting, so she panicked when she borrowed the felly for a bit, but it's quite normal to sit around the middle mark, I'd only be concerned if it was always edging near the 3/4s mark on a motorway jouney in 'normal (not blasing hot) weather. Then, I'd expect it to sit just under the middle, but it never falls anywhere near the 1/4 mark once warm.

This is just my observations based on driving a Felly 1.3 LXIPlus for 10 years and 140,000 miles.

Thanks for all the help, guys. I have now diagnosed the problem.

I partly drained the coolant system and removed the temp sensor. I had a good poke around inside the stat housing, but could feel nothing loose or broken. Oh, I thought - its not broken. Then I had another go and suddenly it dawned on me - was there any stat at all?

So I bit the bullet and removed the stat housing and guess what - no stat. It had obviously broken at some stage and had been removed.

So I'm going to order the stat in the morning and fit at the weekend.

Thanks again for all the help.