How long to warm up?

[a318t]

Again, sorry for another post on temperature issues.

I'm having my mechanic fit my wastegate actuator tomorrow, but also asked him to inspect the thermostat/fluctuating situation.

I should have mentioned this before in the previous thread, but didn't see it as such an important issue:

Basically my A3 takes f**king ages to get up to 90 degrees. The other day I had to drive to Stansted airport (70 miles from where I live). 15 minutes before leaving, I started the car and left it ticking over on my drive to see if it would heat up before leaving - the guage had barely gone over 70 degrees. Then got in the car, and only by 20 miles into the journey was it up to running temperature.

Surely this cannot be right? Also, I'm sure it's starting to take longer and longer each time I drive it. It was never this bad before?

Just a faulty thermo?

Many thanks!

 

[<tuffty/>]

Wasn't your car diagnosed with a coolant temp sensor or similar issue when you went for a remap recently?

<tuffty/>

 

[aragorn]

Just get the thermostat changed. They get old and tired and do exactly what you describe.

You might even get a fault code saying "coolant temperature sensor, implausible signal" or "Error in mapped cooling system", which leads folk to thinking its the sensor. Its not, those codes mean the ECU can see the car isnt getting up to temperature quickly enough, or that the temperature is falling when it shouldnt be. Symptoms of a faulty thermostat.