1999 1.8 20V - Temp gauge not doing much...

[kiruji]

Another little problem we've had with the Toledo since we've had it is the temp gauge doesn't move much.

In fact, during normal driving, it doesn't move at all. If I let it idle with the heater on full and the fans off, it gets up to 90 and stays there. If I drive it, it doesn't move until I come to a stop for a while, like a traffic jam, when it creeps up to 90 and stays there until I'm moving again, when it drops back down to pretty much nothing.

The car warms up fine and hot air comes out of the heaters fine. Coolant level seems fine. There's no mayo around the oil cap.

Any ideas? A thermostat or sender knackered?

 

[Slimy]

My mate had to have his thermostat changed on his V5, and that sorted his issue. Yours sounds very similar, IE it only responds when it feels like it.

It also reported as a fault on VAG-COM, so if you have access to one see if the diagnostics confirm the issue.

 

[willives]

I had to replace the sender on my Tdi last week. The gauge would go up to 90, then suddenly drop to nothing, then it would suddenly shoot back to 90 again and so on.

I checked the water temp using the code for the climate control panel, and it showed a normal increase to 90 and then stayed constant whatever the gauge did, so I went and got a new sensor from a local VW dealer which sorted the problem.

Maybe worth checking the temp using the climate control to determine if its the sensor or thermostat.

 

[Slimy]

How do you check the temperature with the climate control?

 

[Fl@pper]

http://www.wak-tt.com/tt/climatecontcodes.htm

51 Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) in deg C