Help needed please!!!! dodgy temperature reading

[Sm3g]

HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS PROBLEM THAT IM HAVING,

the otherday i noticed the temperature guage in my 52reg s3,seemed to be just sat at 60 and not moving eventualy eml came on so garage down the road pluged diagnostic in and it came up with coolant temperature guage sender,so iv been to audi this morning and fitted a new sensor its a green one with 4 prongs,and when the car is moving its still just about sitting in between 60-70degrees,but if i stop and let the car tick over it then eventually goes as normal and just sits at 90.

is it me going mad i know its -2 at the moment outside,but does this all seem normal????

 

[sideways steve]

sounds like the thermostat is stuck open.

 

[Sm3g]

well i thought that,so i rang audi up,and they said that if there was a problem with the thermostat my heaters would blow cold,but heaters are ok and blow warm as per normal,but when i left the car ticking over and it reached 90degrees,i left it for just over 5min and the fan didnt kick in either????

 

[sideways steve]

Thats a load of rubbish, if the stat is stuck open it will do exactly as you have said an you will still get hot air.

My car blows hot air before the temp gauge has even moved when I leave for work in the morning.

It is definately your stat, I had exactly the same issue on my A4 not so long ago. Also buy a genuine one, I have used ones from Euro and GSF a few times and they have been faulty from new.

 

[s3black]

Im having this problem just now my friend. Changed sender and stat but didnt do the seal. Going to change it and see if it sorts the problem out. If not then it must just be chilly lol. At least yours reads 70 and not 60 haha

 

[Sm3g]

thanks mate,il bob out tomoz and get one from audi think there only a tenner,do you have any idea on how hard they are to fit mate,as id rather tackle it my self if its easy enough to do,rather than folk our a few quid in labour charges?

 

[s3black]

thanks mate,il bob out tomoz and get one from audi think there only a tenner,do you have any idea on how hard they are to fit mate,as id rather tackle it my self if its easy enough to do,rather than folk our a few quid in labour charges?

Good man. I went about it by taking the intake manifold front / top plate off two screws (not the manifold) and then droping the altinator forward two long bolts (slip the belt off) this way i could access the thermostat housing (two bolts). Taken me about 45 mins all in and im not a mechanic lol. Get the new seal too as i didnt and have to do this all over again

 

[Sm3g]

thanks mate, i got one this morning from audi but when i said does it come with a new seal they said it dosnt list that you need a new seal with a new thermostat,so i dont know what to do for the best now as im going to get my local garage to fit this for me on monday?

 

[S3featesV9]

I didn't replace seal. Re-used mine and not had issues

 

[Sm3g]

thanks for all your help guys,rang a few garages up and they were quoting me 2.1/2 hours in labour thats £100,surely its not that much of a big job to do? S3 BLACK. thanks for your fitting advice i will print of how you said was the easiest way to change it and give it to the mechanic in the morning as im not up for getting ripped of and paying silly money for a job that can be done in half the time!!


so in the meantime i think it would be rude not to go out now in the snow and put the 4wd quattro through some power slides

 

[Craig1.8t]

I had this same problem, was the thermostat mate. It was not actually stuck open, it just opened too early, infact hot tap water opened it. Changed it and it sits at 90 all the time now.

2.5 hours labour for a thermostat changing? No. more like 1.5 at most.