habbyguy

I am constantly amazed at the Audi service manuals. It's like every other car is wired different. Every time I've tried to troubleshoot mine, it's been a really tough slog... The trick with a situation like yours is to start with what you DO know, and verify that it's all working at that point. If not, work backwards - if it is, work forward. ;-)

Again, it should be simple to look up the pin-out of that relay, and figure out if it's being properly turned on or not, and if it has power coming into the fan circuit or not.

Conor Curtin

Put in a new blower fan. That solved that problem. Do you know what temperature the main rad fans are even supposed to kick on at. I've read anywhere from 85C to 105C, and I want to make sure I am checking at the correct temp range for signal and whatnot. Also, do you know if there is a way in VCDS to cycle the rad fans without getting the car to do it on its own? Not super experienced with this program

habbyguy

Congrats on getting the fan working. I'm betting the right fan-on value is closer to 105° - it doesn't make sense for the fan to run at the thermostat temperature. That would be kind of like running your heat and A/C simultaneously. ;-) I believe that the VCDS system will allow you to turn on the fan, but its been a long time since I played with mine (and will be a lot longer now that I don't have my Audi any longer...).

Conor Curtin

good to know I gotta get it hot. I'll have to look around in vcds to find it. I would have to assume with a tool like that you better be able to test the rad fans

Conor Curtin

I've been driving it around a bunch and it won't go over 96C. I am in Massachusetts so it's cold. I also need to pass an inspection, and i have a bad wheel speed sensor and the steering is doing some weird relearning thing. Do you know if this will cause my car to fail?

habbyguy

Don't know about Massachusetts, but if you don't have a CEL light on, and your readiness indicators are "ready", with no more than one or two (varies by state) being "not ready", you should pass.

Not too surprised your coolant won't make it to 100° in cold temps (these little four cylinder motors are very efficient, so don't produce much heat). You could try blocking off the grill to limit the airflow (an old truck driver's trick).

Conor Curtin

Ok. Im just concearned because both the abs and traction control lights are on, but they were on last time i tried and they didn't say anything about it.
ill have to try putting like a box over the rad or digging through vcds. Good idea with blocking off the rad. Didnt think of it

Conor Curtin

Been driving the car today without anything over rad and temps stayed at or below 96c. Car prompted to turn off motor and check coolant level and when o stopped, the upper rad hose on the block had popped off and leaked all of the coolant out. This is the second time this has happened. Do you know of possible culprits or where to start first? Im guessing it's overpressurising the cooling system.

habbyguy

That just shouldn't happen... the radiator cap should release pressure to the overflow tank LONG before the system can generate enough pressure to blow off the hose.

One of two things are happening - one, your radiator cap is bad and isn't releasing pressure as it should. Or two, your hose clamp is bad / installed badly.

My guess is number two.

Conor Curtin

After debating it, I think it is probably a bad connection in the clamp. They aren't hose clamps, but some stupid plastic thing. I've already had problems with that with the heater core lines. I'm gonna replace the connector and hopefully that will fix that