Engine temp vw touran 2.0tdi 136hp

snaps

I've recently bought a vw touran 2.0 TDI 136hp. I've noticed that since the cold weather (im in poland and its currently just above 0) has arrived its slow to heat up.

Compared to other cars I've had its slow.

The temp gauge rises slowly, but gets to 90 and stays there eventually after about 10km.

It doesn't fluctuate so rules out sensor.

I'm wondering is this normal or perhaps the thermostat?

biko

Not a DIY effort, moved to main forum.

OP, it sounds fairly normal. My own car takes a while to get up to operating temp. But more like 2 km.
Then again I'm in Ireland.

How long have you owned it?

iamtony

Yes it is perfectly normal. The engines are so efficient that they do not generate enough heat to get up to temperature in cold weather.
I have a VW diesel and it's fitted with a diesel water heater called a webasto thermo top c which works when the temperature is below a certain temperature. If you check the webasto website it has a list of vw's that are fitted with this unit. It may be faulty. VCDS software can sometimes tell it's not working and comes up as an auxiliary heater fault.
If you do have one of these water heaters you can add remote controls to actually preheat the water in the morning before you get in which reduces engine wear and gives you instant hot air.

jimgoose

Seems to be normal with these modern, efficient turbodiesels. The brother has a 2010 520D and it takes a good 10k and more to get properly to temperature.

iamtony

It also probably won't ever get up to operating temperature while ticking over and slowly in traffic. But will get to 90 a lot quicker on a motorway.

snaps

Thanks for the replies

Gazzmonkey

@ OP

I have a B8 A4 with the CAGA engine and in a very cold morning it can twice the distance / time to get up to temp as it would on a summers morning.

Its just the nature of the modern diesel engine.

John T Carroll

snaps wrote: »

I've recently bought a vw touran 2.0 TDI 136hp. I've noticed that since the cold weather (im in poland and its currently just above 0) has arrived its slow to heat up.

Compared to other cars I've had its slow.

The temp gauge rises slowly, but gets to 90 and stays there eventually after about 10km.

It doesn't fluctuate so rules out sensor.

I'm wondering is this normal or perhaps the thermostat?

When the gauge reaches "90" the coolant temperature is actually only 73 to 75C, it will then read spot on 90 until the temperature reaches 103 to 106C which shouldnt happen except you have an overheat problem due to a faulty thermostat or cooling fan etc. I know its a diesel but why dont you just carry out a very simple test to satisfy yourself by feeling the "top" radiator hose, this should be cold/cool right up until the gauge reads "90C" (actually 73-75C) as the thermostat doesnt begin to open until around 85C.