Water Temp Gauge - Help please

[danmarley]

Can anyone help??

Got a 2003 1.9 Tdi 130 and noticed this morning the water temp gauge read 70 degrees even when the ignition was off!! After the 15 mins driver to work it was reading 120 degrees!!! Opened up the bonnet and oil and coolant levels seems ok, the coolant wasn’t boiling over either. The oil temp gauge hadn’t moved so got the impression the engine was still cold.

Could it be sensor or thermostat malfunction??

 

[Skywalker80]

Hi, it could be a number of things, I would definitely start with the thermostat as it'll be the cheapest to replace.

Worse case is that the instrument panel is on the way out, and WONT be a cheap fix.
I have a 2003 Tdi 130 Sport (with the extra gauges) and my temp gauge, fuel gauge and outside temp reading all started to behave with a mind of their own.
Temp gauge would work, but within 10 seconds of starting the engine from cold the low level buzzer and light would go off. Fuel gauge needle worked when it wanted to.

As mine is still under warranty the garage replaced the instrument panel for a new SEAT one, cost them £400 alone, but everything is fine now.

Instrument panel failure is common

 

[Boo]

I would start with the thermostat 1st, chances are its something simple like that. Is your fan kicking in at all ?

Instrument panels often fail but, given that its just the temperature gauge and nothing else suggests that its not this. Check the wiring to the cluster and check for any loose earthing wires ?

 

[beezanick]

Sounds like the instrument cluster to me. What worked for me and other people on here is disconecting the battery for 10mins. It sometimes self calibrates itself. Worth a try before you go replaceing things. Make sure you have your radio code first though.

 

[CelticBear1986]

Temp Gauge - Normal Reading...

Hi

This is a new question but is relevant to what is being discussed here.

I bought a Seat 1.4 sport last week and was pretty chuffed. So during the weekend I was breaking it in and took it on a 120mile round trip (all on saturday). The temp gauge moved to halfway between bottom and top which when I asked around was said to be normal for a trip of this length.

However on the way into work this morning, a journey of no more than 3 miles, the temp gauge was back up to half.

I have the car under warranty for a year so can go straight back to the dealer but I wanted to double check whether this was normal or not. To give you an idea it's a '06 car with 23,000miles on it (if someone wanted to give their opinion on what they thought would be a good price for a car such as this that would also be interesting as a comparison).

 

[Gooner_Mike]

CelticBear1986, the engine will get to a normal operating temperature and it will stay there regardless of the length of the journey. It may fluctuate slightly but only by a few degress depending on the temperature outside (between winter and summer) and if your giving it the full beans! What temperature did it get to?

 

[CelticBear1986]

Hi Gooner

The temperature was sitting at 90. 50 is the lowest point (the gauge returns to this of course when the egine is off) and 130 is the highest so it's directly in the middle.

The longer trip on sat I was doing between 50 and 75 over sustained period of time so it was pretty close to full beans but this morning I was very easy going.

 

[Gooner_Mike]

Hi Gooner

The temperature was sitting at 90. 50 is the lowest point (the gauge returns to this of course when the egine is off) and 130 is the highest so it's directly in the middle.

The longer trip on sat I was doing between 50 and 75 over sustained period of time so it was pretty close to full beans but this morning I was very easy going.

90 sounds about right. My FR sits at just below this once its got up to temperature.

 

[CelticBear1986]

How long/many miles does it typically take for your FR to get up to temperature?

 

[Gooner_Mike]

How long/many miles does it typically take for your FR to get up to temperature?

My normal run to work involves a short stretch of about a mile of normal roads and then onto a dual carriageway (A3). It tends to warm up quiet quickly on the A3 but I don't give it any welly until it has warmed up. Just normal about town driving it only takes a couple of minutes I guess.. never checked really. Obviously its a lot quicker during the summer when its hotter!

 

[CelticBear1986]

Thanks Mike

I found the same trend on my Ibiza when I took it for a spin this evening so maybe this is just normal. I gues if anything major does happen I still have the warranty.

Thanks again

Dan

 

[Cal91]

CelticBear1986, thats normal. I have the same car (1.4 sport, 06 reg, 21,000 miles) and it stays at 90 constantly, it heats up rather quick too. I drive 5 miles most mornings and it'll heat up to 90 within the 1st and 2nd mile.

Thats nothing to worry about.

 

[CelticBear1986]

Thanks Cal.