hi folks,

i wonder if anyone out there could offer any help / advice regarding a problem that has arisen (yesterday) with my audi a4. during a drive between edinburgh and glasgow the engine temperature gauge did not rise at all, obviously meaning a faulty temperature gauge or the engine is not reaching its correct operating temperature. my limited mechanical knowledge tells me there may be a problem with the engine thermostat, if not just a fault with the gauge. does anyone know if there could be any other possible causes of this and if its an expensive thing to fix on this model of car?

i have not had this problem before with this car and it was ok the day before on the drive through to edinburgh. i did many years ago change a thermostat on a 1986 toyota celica and i think all in the job cost me £8 and was relatively simple even for me ;-). the audi engine on the other hand just looks too complicated for me to tackle so it will probably go to a garage for repair (let the professionals do it).

any advice would be gratefully recieved, thanks in advance all you mechanical geniuses out there ;-)

regards

LB

Hi --- Here's a guide with pic's Fifth one down, it's a little more involved because the alternator has to come off and a coolant drain, so unless you know what you're doing then do take it to a garage.

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng.html

The Thermostat cost itself should be around £15... I would think and fitting around a half to one hour labour, not a big job.

PS -- It sounds like the stat is stuck in the open position. allowing coolant to circulate continuously therefore not getting warmed up enough to register on the temp gauge.

Had the stat been stuck in the closed position it would have overheated fairly quickly.

hi

thanks very much for the response. i was out in the car for a short journey yesterday and the gauge started to rise so im not sure if this is going to be an intermitant problem (hope not) / or a one off (hope so). looking at the directions you've given on how to replace the thermostat it looks to me like a job for my local mechanic. i could probably manage but it might take me a whole weekend hahaha!

again, thanks for taking the time to point me in the right direction.

all the best

LB

Hi -- Well at least the temp gauge does work then so you can virtually rule that out, the other more obvious part is a faulty temperature sensor or the electrical connection to it.

The sensor gives readings to the temp gauge, if that is not sending a signal then nothing will register on the temp gauge.

I would get that checked ASAP because if the car does start to overheat perhaps nothing will show on your temp gauge that indicates the problem, which would lead you to seize up the engine if you continued to drive with that problem.