Engine Temp warning?? OMG! Advice pls

[Atlantia]

Cold evening, started the car, drove for about 2 minutes and was stopped at traffic lights. Girlfriend was playing with radio which was coming on on its own, suddenly BEEEEEEEEEP and a red light next to temp guage flashing!!
Gauge still reads cold, needle not moved from 60. Light went off after a few seconds, started driving again and after another minute or so the needle starts to climb, after another minute or so its at 90 and stays there no further problem.
Well apart from my nerves! Can they make these warnings any louder?

Anyone know what the hell that was all about?
Dodgy thermostat?

 

[adam20vT]

mines been doing the same but ive got a cupra. i've been told my exhaust gases smell eggy aswel?? any ideas or help. dont mean to steal post.

 

[truCido]

probably just a dirty sensor, give it a clean or buy a new one. The beep also happens if the level is low I think, checked your coolant level recently?

 

[truCido]

mines been doing the same but ive got a cupra. i've been told my exhaust gases smell eggy aswel?? any ideas or help. dont mean to steal post.

Eggy would mean your cars overfuelling, probably coilpack on the way out or dodgy spark plug

 

[Atlantia]

Thanks TruCido,
Long as its not anything awful.
I've had the car nearly a week now and it was my first experience of the subtle warning!
I was so freaked out that it was only the cars behind me beeping cos the lights had turned green that shocked me back to reality!
I'll check the levels tomorrow, thanks.

 

[Atlantia]

dont mean to steal post.

Thats fine by me mate! If we can both solve our problem its doubley good!

 

[Reuvers]

As said, light usually comes on when your coolant level is low.

as for egg smell, doesn't necessarily mean you're overfueling, it just means that unburnt fuel is getting into cat, and when it gets hot there, it smells like egg. Most realistic cause is a dodgy coilpack as mentioned, which is not burning the fuel efficiently or at all in one of the cylinders.

hope that helps

 

[shantybeater]

correct me if i'm wrong but doesnt eggy smells mean your cat is buggered??

 

[Reuvers]

no means fuel is in the cat

 

[andycupra]

its common issue.
did it bleep 3 times?

its the coolant level. this is why you dont have issues with coolant temp, as its the level. They use the same warning light.

Options are:

1 Top up the coolant a bit.
2 Replace the expansion tank which includes the sensor.
3 Take top off expansion tank, (when cold) look inside there are two metal prongs from teh sensor. Lightly scrape these with a screwdriver or the like. This can often help. Whether its cleaning them or just the fact this wiggles them a bit im not sure.
4 remove the sensor and check the connections are clean.

If i was you id do 1 and 3. possibly 4 and then see how it goes.

 

[Atlantia]

its common issue.
did it bleep 3 times?

its the coolant level. this is why you dont have issues with coolant temp, as its the level. They use the same warning light.

Options are:

1 Top up the coolant a bit.
2 Replace the expansion tank which includes the sensor.
3 Take top off expansion tank, (when cold) look inside there are two metal prongs from teh sensor. Lightly scrape these with a screwdriver or the like. This can often help. Whether its cleaning them or just the fact this wiggles them a bit im not sure.
4 remove the sensor and check the connections are clean.

If i was you id do 1 and 3. possibly 4 and then see how it goes.

Brilliant! Thanks mate, will do.

 

[andycupra]

and to clarify, it may be that the level isnt low, but these sensors appear to get very fussy when its cold, so get the lever towards the top of the range. (which may then be above the max line when the coolat is hot, but dont worry).

 

[cletus]

yeah my cupra does it aswell topped up the coolant and it solved it for a while. only does it now and again when it very cold out. hoing to replace the tank cos the sensors are very common on the vag vehicles.

 

[andycupra]

yeah my cupra does it aswell topped up the coolant and it solved it for a while. only does it now and again when it very cold out. hoing to replace the tank cos the sensors are very common on the vag vehicles.

try giving the sensor prings a wiggle and clean.

 

[Noam]

sorry for the bump . . .
Where is the above mentioned sensor?
Thanks

 

[cupraajy]

my vote is your coolant is low

 

[Noam]

Could be too , but still - where is this sensor located?
Perhaps it's knackerd or dirty/loose?

 

[Tucker157]

its in the expansion bottle, take the lid off and look inside

 

[Noam]

Thanks . It all comes back to me . .

 

[Berg]

I used to get bad eggy smells when i used a turbosmart dv, changed to 007p and has been fine since
What dv are you running?

Also the beeps normally low coolant yer