driverofquattro

I picked up my new (sort of) 90 quattro yesterday, and the coolant temp symbol was flashing on the autocheck. The coolant temp gauge was reading normal temperature, and I pulled over to check the coolant level, and it was normal (possibly just a little high).

Why is it doing this?

orange

My 1994 has the temp. indicator flashing constantly now. At first it was intermittent. The guage reads totally normal. Is this just a bad sensor, and how $ to fix...anyone?

nkk@auto

driving your car around with the temp sensor blinking? ignorance like that is what causes engine overheating and monster size repairs. You should never, ever trust your temp guage, mainly because it won't read correctly if your fluid is low, unbled or the sensor is faulty (common on the B3-B4 models. The temp sensor light goes on once you are low on coolant. If you open it up and have to add more than 1/2 quart you have been running the car with insufficient coolant- open the top to the resevoir and fill only when the engine is cold.

Don@STaSIS

Howdy! When the light comes it's almost always level. With the car off and cold take a quick look at the coolant level. If it's below the min line fill to the min line with some coolant or water. If the level looks to be at min or above min when cold and engine off then start the car, drive it around to normal running temp, leave the engine running and check the coolant level. If it has mysteriously gotten lower than when cold you have a leak somewhere most likely, possible air bubble, possible hose expansion. I have found that my coolant system drops a bit while driving, I have a small seal leak at the water pump. Every 6 months I get the warning light on a hill or corner, then I pop a tiny bit of water or coolant in and off I go. Buddies 80q does this and it has a fairly substansial leak at the waterpump, his beater car so no big deal. Keeps it topped up and there are no issues at all, no airation overheating, runs as cool as mine, and here that is barely moving from the left when it's -10F out

Usually not a massive problem, almost always level, but watch the temp gauge, check fluid levels cold and warm/running. Smell for leaking coolant, note any loss in level over time, and so on.

Cheers!