Engine temperature 103TDI slow warming up and fluctuating once warm!

[rosslm]

For the last few weeks I have noticed my Golf 2.0 103 TDI is taking up to 20 minutes to warm to 90 degrees from an ambient 20 degrees cold start. Once warm the temperature will sit on 90 degrees in city driving but on the open road or down hill it will fluctuate between 60 to 90 degrees. The car is now over 4 1/4 years old and 65500Km otherwise faultless. I suspect a thermostat problem I am guessing stuck open. Any one come across a similar problem?

[Umai Naa!!]

Yeah, certainly sounds like a thermostat problem.

Not unheard of with a VW.

[The One]

Yeah, certainly sounds like a thermostat problem.

Not unheard of with a VW.

Not unheard of with any car aswell. Pull it out and check, if unsure boiling hot water is your friend.

[raygti]

Not unheard of with any car aswell. Pull it out and check, if unsure boiling hot water is your friend.

hey, what model is your tdi. i have a 2009 and cant see any oil temp function in the MFI ? Ive noticed between my cousins 2011 model, his also has the digital speedo in a bigger font size .... not sure if this is a difference in the my11 updates?

[rosslm]

Had my local mechanic check it out today he agreed it looks like a thermostat, all hoses getting hot from start up. A new part on order will post an update soon. As an aside previously I dropped into the local VW dealer, the guy at the service desk tried to explain it is normal for the temperature to fluctuate and take 20 minutes to reach normal operating temperature with no effort to diagnose or offer a suggestion. Now I know what John White is complaining about dealer incompetence.

[Umai Naa!!]

Yeah, diesels do take longer to get up to temperature, but we're now seeing manufacturers implement different design concepts to aide this.

Your mechanic is definately on the money in my opinion.

[Umai Naa!!]

hey, what model is your tdi. i have a 2009 and cant see any oil temp function in the MFI ? Ive noticed between my cousins 2011 model, his also has the digital speedo in a bigger font size .... not sure if this is a difference in the my11 updates?

It'll be due an update in components.

[AdamD]

hey, what model is your tdi. i have a 2009 and cant see any oil temp function in the MFI ? Ive noticed between my cousins 2011 model, his also has the digital speedo in a bigger font size .... not sure if this is a difference in the my11 updates?

MY11 got an MFD with a different typeface (and possibly a resolution change). Not sure about the oil temp readout on the TDI; the GTI had it from start of production.

[raygti]

MY11 got an MFD with a different typeface (and possibly a resolution change). Not sure about the oil temp readout on the TDI; the GTI had it from start of production.

Cheers for that Adam !

Yeh the mrs gti has the update my11 pretty nice features to have in the gti


Pity my my09 doesn't but ! Was wondering as original poster was saying his car is 4.5 years old so would put it in 09/10 territory

Might do some exploring with vagcom one day when I get a cable looked up google and there something about firmware updating for the mfd but I don't think it looks easy / maybe false .

[hoi polloi]

hey, what model is your tdi. i have a 2009 and cant see any oil temp function in the MFI ?

Is the display of the Oil Temp enabled?

On mine (MY 2010) go to "SETTINGS" using the arrow buttons on the steering wheel, select MFD DATA and then scroll down and make sure the items that you want displayed in the MFD are ticked (I've just selected them all)... Tick the Oil Temp selection using the OK button on the steering wheel..

Items that aren't ticked get skipped (if that makes sense)...

- Anthony.

[rosslm]

My mechanic changed the thermostat, once warm the temperature is now steady 90 deg, getting to the thermostat in the diesel is no mean task 4 hours labour plus parts original thermostat $92.65, seal $9.80, Coolant and consumables $50.00, labour $450.00 not cheap. Once I would have done this job myself but don't have the facility unfortunately. Still seems to take a long time warming up around 20 minutes to 90 deg in slow city driving, weather cooling now so perhaps normal.

If anyone else has a MK VI 103 TDI I would welcome feedback on cold start to 90 deg, my brother has a MK V 103 TDI his is at 90 deg after 12 minutes.

[hoi polloi]

Still seems to take a long time warming up around 20 minutes to 90 deg in slow city driving, weather cooling now so perhaps normal.

If anyone else has a MK VI 103 TDI I would welcome feedback on cold start to 90 deg, my brother has a MK V 103 TDI his is at 90 deg after 12 minutes.

Will have to pay attention to mine... Bear in mind the water temp will take longer to get to 90º in cold weather and when the heater is on too..

- Anthony.

[raygti]

Is the display of the Oil Temp enabled?

On mine (MY 2010) go to "SETTINGS" using the arrow buttons on the steering wheel, select MFD DATA and then scroll down and make sure the items that you want displayed in the MFD are ticked (I've just selected them all)... Tick the Oil Temp selection using the OK button on the steering wheel..

Items that aren't ticked get skipped (if that makes sense)...

- Anthony.

!definitely not in the settings menu. cheers for the idea though !

[rosslm]

!definitely not in the settings menu. cheers for the idea though !

My car has Oil Temp included in the MFD, build week 45, 2009 if this helps.

[jets]

Not a Mk6 Golf, but my '09 Tiguan has no mention of oil temp.[ in instrument display] in the owners manual dated 18.08.2008. Next years manual dated 7.04.2009 does.
At one time I owned a Mk2 Golf GTI that included oil temp in display. In hot weather I looked at it frequently.