Help!!!!!!! audi a3 1.8t new owner

[Bollo]

Hi

please help me!!!!

carried out a mini service on my a3 1.8t today

changed the oil and spark plugs

checked all level

let the car warm up and took it for a drive

after about 15 mins the engine coolant warning light came on

with audible warning, and the car temp was around the 120 mark

drove the car home straight away and the fan never seemed to kick in

gonna need some help and advice here

cheer's bollo

 

[Daniel Vzla]

First check that the fan is properly connected, then check if it is working, get the cables and conect them directly to the battery, then check that the temp sensors are working OK

 

[Bollo]

Ok i'am new to this so where is the temp sensor

and how do i check the fan conection

 

[Bollo]

i have left it running for a while and the temp rises and the cooling fans
fail to start

before i did the service today the car would not overheat and would normaly stay aorund 90 degrees

i need help guys

this is realy p****g me off

all i did was change the oil filter and oil and the ****** spark plugs

 

[Prawn]

any chance you have knocked something electrical and fan related when doing the oil filter? its pretty tight down there if you go in from the top.....

 

[Bollo]

i jacked the car up and changed the filter from the under the car



could someone tell me where to check if the fans are connected

like i said before i messed about today the car was fine

its gotta be somthing stupid or costly

 

[Bollo]

just took the car for a drive and the engine temp rises to 110 degrees

funny enough the heaters blow cold air

so does this mean thermostat is ********

 

[Bollo]

just had some advice from another audi forum

they say it could well be the water pump because of the age

whats involved in a water pump change

cheer's bollo

 

[rodenal]

Pretty unlikely unless u gave it a good knock while you were underneath the car- from what i remember they crack so doing ur service shouldnt do anythign to it - have you been back underneath the car and retraced your steps?

more than likely just disconnected something accidentally

 

[rodenal]

Oh and if your replacing the water pump cambelt + tensioners should be done at the same time(be as well to)

 

[Bollo]

i have checked out everything under the car

and its still overheating realy quick, the fans are not even kicking in

could it be some switch that has failed

some idea's would be a big help

its a huge mystery to me how the car has reacted

 

[SteveS]

if the heater is blowing cold its possible there is an airlock in the cooling system. cant see how this could of happened though unless it was drained / topped up or a hose removed and refitted. if there are air locks in the system symtoms can be - cold heater, overheating, no fans. try running it up to temp from cold with the top off the coolant tank. keep an eye out that it doesnt overflow though.

 

[rodenal]

Thats also a good point, hows your coolant?

 

[simch]

i have checked out everything under the car

and its still overheating realy quick, the fans are not even kicking in

could it be some switch that has failed

some idea's would be a big help

its a huge mystery to me how the car has reacted

MAte, first thing DONT drive it anymore.......!>!>! One it could fry the head, twi if its waterpump it could at a push cuase you belt to strip adn knack you valves, (unlikely but it can happen).

Now, let it all cool down, then look in the top of the header tank for the cooling system. Can you see what look like little tiny balck specks floating about on the top.......? A common sight if the plastic impeller on the waterpump has deteriorated. If not, it sould still be knacked, but is its been a deterioration over a few weeks, you wills ee the specks in there.

As for the fans, well, you may have another problem here, fan failure is very common. BUT, if you have driven the car and it overheats, this is NOT the problem that is CAUSING your overheating, but the fact they are not kicking in when it does overheat is another issue.

I can forward a link to UK-MKivs.net which covers the masive massive problem with VW cooling fans, and how to fix them cheap and properly.

Waterpump does soound likely, but also check your coolant levels once its cool in the morning. BUt limit your driving in it, until you suss whats is goin on.

 

[Bollo]

Hi can anyone

show me on the pics

where the fan switches and other things i should be looking at

 

[Bollo]

 

[simch]

Mate, fans not working alone whould not make your car overheat in normal driving.
Airflow though the car as it moves will cool sufficently unless you're in traffic.
To test the fans, just turn your aircon on so you hear the compressor click on(at sub 3degrees it wont come on its too cold). As the ac comes on, the rad fans should click on on first. If not the resistors are shot.
BUT this is not the reason its overheating from what you have said.

HAve you lost coolant!? Is there any coolant in the oil, (light browm mucky oil) Is there any steam comuing out of the exhaust, (white smoke?).

Fans are a very common problem, but most owners dont realise as in 90% of circumstances, they do pretty mcuh nothing.

Sort the noverheating first and worry about the fans later!!


Go to www.uk-mkivs.net and do a search on cooling fans.....the thread is about 15 pages long, you cannot miss it!! Tells you all you need to know

 

[Bollo]

Hi

just tried the aircon and fans came on straight away


but the car still continues to overheat

the fans dont kick in unless you hit the aircon button

tried the cap off the coolant didnt make much difference realy

looked for small black specs to indicate water pump failiure

there where a very small amount around the top of the bottle, none on in the coolant


the car is booked in wednesday for a fault check

but i realy wanted to understand this problem before hand

and start getting some parts ready

any help and advice is still very much welcome

bollo

 

[Bollo]

no loss of coolant and no mucky white substance under the oil cap

so there are no signs of head gasket failiure

 

[Bollo]

Anyone

 

[KEF A3 20V T]

Your thermostat could be blocked shut! to chek it take it out n place it in sum boiling hot water it should open up!

just my 2p!!

 

[mazzy]

Anyone

Pop up the battery cover and there is a bunch of fuses in the black plastic which is mounted to the battery, check the fuses in there. If im correct there is a fuse which controls the fan in there. (green i think) check if they are burnt out etc. Check connections.

See if that helps...

 

[347]

with the engine running give the engine a slight rev it should be possible to see coolant returning into the header tank at the top of the tank , this wil prove the water pump is pumping or not

 

[Bollo]

how do i reach my thermostat

 

[Bollo]

not alot of help on this forum is there

what is it with everyone

 

[simch]

not alot of help on this forum is there

what is it with everyone

Christ fella, what do you want, I posted two paragraphs offering advise, you post photos of your ****** engine!! !!

Right, forget the fans............they aint important to overheating.......do you get that now..........just forget them!!! OK

You have the black specs in the header tank.......well are they floating on top of the coolant or just round the cap threads.......? The plastic specs will float on the coolant, not be suspended in it.

Does sound like water pump failure to me, possibly coincidence the timing, possibly not.........how long have you had it........how long did you drive it for before you serviced it.
I dont think your service is connected to this unless you have put in woring plugs (?) (unlikely to have much effect) or unless you have dislodged some temp sensor plug, or other sensor meaning its showingitis overheating when it is not! (unlikely though). Can you tell form under the hood if it is really getting hot.....? Is the coolant blowing out id you remove the header tank cap? did you say the heater was not blowing hot air......? It really does suggest there is no circulation of the water system at all, again, waterpump is the most likely....but be careful of driving it, even to the garage to have it looked at?

Is there any chance this was a fault there when you got it? Have a word with the seller to see if he had problems maybe.

Oh, and best not to have too much of a pop at people on the forum for "not helping you" or people will just not bother! you took a hell of a lot longer to come back in response to some of our helpful posts above, than you have had to wait for a response! And if you dont like that friendly suggestion, .........well fxxx right off!! lol!!