VW Polo drivers, comment on your car's temp please

[TheFriendlyGhost]

What is the point of this complication?

I got a feeling that this is more to do with the countries that have extremely cold winters. When the car is warm and you start driving in sub zero conditions, the air that comes through the grill cools the water in the radiator which in turn cools the engine causing the car to shutdown (older cars). With multiple gates, the water can be routed to were it is needed (hot or cold) - this is more my theory, than actual.

 

[MEIOT]

Stays in the middle - never moving from there for me too

 

[Neuk_]

That is a common issue. the fan is reasonably priced (goldwagen) and easy to replace.

On the temp issue. In my days of driving I have owned and/or driven a number of VWs - 90 is normal. The reason for the car staying at 50 is that there are a couple of different Solenoid type gates on the water line and one of them must be defective hence the correct temperature water not being allowed to run over the thermostat sensor.

No, there may be a few temperature sensors but there is only one thermostat in the 9n/9n3 series Polo's, if the water temperature only reaches 50 may have simply been a faulty sensor.

 

[Neuk_]

I got a feeling that this is more to do with the countries that have extremely cold winters. When the car is warm and you start driving in sub zero conditions, the air that comes through the grill cools the water in the radiator which in turn cools the engine causing the car to shutdown (older cars). With multiple gates, the water can be routed to were it is needed (hot or cold) - this is more my theory, than actual.

As I said in a previous reply, there is only one thermostat in a 9n/9n3 series Polo which controls the flow of water through the radiator, below a certain temperature water will not flow through the radiator and above it will.

 

[Aaronvan]

Hi All,

In my case, I had a perished water pipe that runds from my expansion tank to the engine, since replacement, the heat gauge goes up 2 notches pass the halfway mark and returns back to centre...any reason for concern?

I have a 2012 Polo Vivo sedan.

 

[Lupus]

Mine is in the middle, never moves from there ever.

Wow memories.

 

[TheChamp]

Hi All,

In my case, I had a perished water pipe that runds from my expansion tank to the engine, since replacement, the heat gauge goes up 2 notches pass the halfway mark and returns back to centre...any reason for concern?

I have a 2012 Polo Vivo sedan.

Does the returning back to the middle position corresponds with the fan starting? It could be that the fan is for some reason delayed and only starting very late, which is of course a cause for concern.

 

[Aaronvan]

@thechamp...Hi there, not sure as this happens during the drive...I cannot even take it to VW as they are closed...I am hoping its merely a fan issue or perhaps an air lock in the system.
I always check my oil and water and had the vehicle recently serviced( Major ) with no negative report back.

 

[TheChamp]

@thechamp...Hi there, not sure as this happens during the drive...I cannot even take it to VW as they are closed...I am hoping its merely a fan issue or perhaps an air lock in the system.
I always check my oil and water and had the vehicle recently serviced( Major ) with no negative report back.

Does it come back and stay in the middle or is it erratic?

It could also be the coolant sensor that's not working okay, that's where the fan get it's command from.

 

[Aaronvan]

it comes back and remains there...

 

[Geoff.D]

@thechamp...Hi there, not sure as this happens during the drive...I cannot even take it to VW as they are closed...I am hoping its merely a fan issue or perhaps an air lock in the system.
I always check my oil and water and had the vehicle recently serviced( Major ) with no negative report back.

Any change for the worst after a service (excluding better performance) means that the idiots who did the service did something wrong. Par for the course. But I would not be too concerned about a temperature change which is not abnormally low or abnormally high.

 

[TheChamp]

it comes back and remains there...

It is most likely a sensor issue. Also check the fuses.

To do a proper test you need to run the engine while not moving and monitor when the fan comes on in relation to the heat gauge, it should come on when the gauge is at Centre, if it does not it most likely the coolant temperature sensor, giving delayed signals to the fan.

 

[TheChamp]

Any change for the worst after a service (excluding better performance) means that the idiots who did the service did something wrong. Par for the course. But I would not be too concerned about a temperature change which is not abnormally low or abnormally high.

Not always, I prefer to approach it with an open mind, sometimes it's just a not so wonderful coincidence.

 

[Neuk_]

Hi All,

In my case, I had a perished water pipe that runds from my expansion tank to the engine, since replacement, the heat gauge goes up 2 notches pass the halfway mark and returns back to centre...any reason for concern?

I have a 2012 Polo Vivo sedan.

Yes, cause for concern as most VW's get to the 90 Deg C indicator and never move from there, so there is something causing your cooling system temperature to rise past where it normally would level out at. Do the fans come on when the car is hot and stationary?

 

[Aaronvan]

Hi Neuk, I cannot say as the rise happens while in drive, it goes two notches pass the halfway and immediately thereafter falls back to the centre @thechamp and @Geoff.D , my gut feel says take it to the OEM and let them sort it out but what if its a part that I can also merely buy and fit myself...so afraid of blowing the head or even worse get caught in traffic when this/should this get worse.

 

[TheChamp]

Hi Neuk, I cannot say as the rise happens while in drive, it goes two notches pass the halfway and immediately thereafter falls back to the centre @thechamp and @Geoff.D , my gut feel says take it to the OEM and let them sort it out but what if its a part that I can also merely buy and fit myself...so afraid of blowing the head or even worse get caught in traffic when this/should this get worse.

If you normally take it to the dealer do that, the risk of it being a small issue and the dealer overcharging you is all part and parcel of the dealership experience, you just live with it.

 

[Neuk_]

Hi Neuk, I cannot say as the rise happens while in drive, it goes two notches pass the halfway and immediately thereafter falls back to the centre @thechamp and @Geoff.D , my gut feel says take it to the OEM and let them sort it out but what if its a part that I can also merely buy and fit myself...so afraid of blowing the head or even worse get caught in traffic when this/should this get worse.

I suggest taking the car for a drive to get it up to temperature and then head home. Park the car but leave it on watching the temperature gauge and checking to see if the fans run, also check for any coolant leaks and keep an eye on the coolant level. It sounds like it is simply a sensor issue if it rises and falls back immediately but an error scan may shed more light if you are able to do one. Where do you live? There are options other than OEM dealerships to take the car to...

 

[Aaronvan]

Hi All, thank you for the enlightening responses, @Neuk_ ...I am in the Northern Suburbs..Parow area, Western Cape..Hopefully after Friday, the VW`s and other support facilities will re open...I sit in peak in the a.m as well as in the evenings so want to ensure this is resolved before returning to the office next week.

 

[Neuk_]

Hi All, thank you for the enlightening responses, @Neuk_ ...I am in the Northern Suburbs..Parow area, Western Cape..Hopefully after Friday, the VW`s and other support facilities will re open...I sit in peak in the a.m as well as in the evenings so want to ensure this is resolved before returning to the office next week.

Mmm, I don't know private garages so well in the Cape Town area, just Ferroli Performance Centre but not from personal experience.

- VW & Audi Service Centre Cape Town

Ferroli Performance Centre has been successfully involved in SA Motor Trade and Motorsport for the last 30 years. Your No.1 VW Service Centre Cape Town

ferroli.co.za

 

[Geoff.D]

Not always, I prefer to approach it with an open mind, sometimes it's just a not so wonderful coincidence.

Sure it might be, but after all these years, I know that just about all the issues I ever had with my vehicles always showed up a week or so after a so-called agent service.