NWS4Guy

You can limp home if it's not too hot outside, and you can keep your speed down under about 45 by putting the windows down and cranking the heater to MAX. I know, mine failed about 7 miles from home just now.

I pulled over on the freeway shoulder immediately, the DIS was not telling me to yet, but I happened to look down and the very top portion of the DIS which displays the current track playing was a red flashing thermometer, and the analog dial was rapidly climing to the top of the guage. I flipped over to the Lap Timer and oil temps were registering 255F.

I had been in Dynamic mode, going about 60MPH for the past several miles, the outside air temp was 50F and my oil temps under these conditions normally are about 221F. After deciding that it was not safe to try and flatbed the car where I pulled, and knowing I the area I was 3/4 of a mile from the next exit, so I waited till a break in traffic to crank the car and risk it. I pulled into traffic quickly but not revving too high to keep temps as low as possible, maxed out the heater and exited. The needle swiftly dropped to the normal area, so I decided to see how far I could get doing back roads with speed limits of 40 and under the rest of the way home.

On the way I would shut the car off immediately at any stoplights I was caught at, and immediately turn it back on again to accessory to keep the heater going, the crank the car as traffic started again. I knew that the heater core bypasses the thermostat and would help, but I didn't think it would be capable of keeping the entire engine cool, yet for miles, the oil temps steadily dropped until getting back to a very normal 217F, while the temp needle held fast in the center. I figured the T-stat had unstuck, so I turned off the heater so I could bear to stand the temps in the car, so I drove for another mile with no heater, and the needle immediately started to climb again after about a mile, so back to the heater again, and the guage normalized again.

I managed to drive in Comfort (to keep engine revs and therefore heat generation low) the 7 miles with the temps doing fine so long as I had the heater maxed and the windows and roof open - so I could handle the heat, and thankfully it was not raining! I plan to call Audi Roadside first thing in the morning, and have them come to my house and flatbed her to the dealer. I'll vanpool in to work tomorrow (thankfully something I started doing occasionally last week) and see if it will be ready by end of day tomorrow.

I'll see about getting them to take some pics of the IC's and my intake valves too

PsYkHoTiK

That sucks! Mine is going back in on Wednesday for some slow coolant leak. I think I found a pinhole leak on one of the hoses (sounds like what Primetime experienced indeed!) that the slow leak originates from. Only seems to leak when the car is running/driving. Kept under 2500rpm the whole day today.

Do check the car when you get it back and monitor the coolant level...

Brandonb

Bummer. Glad to hear you were able to get home under your own power.

Funny, cranking up the heater is an old trick for old cars prone to overheating or failed radiators. Never thought I'd hear someone in 2011 describing it as a strategy for a new luxury car.

Failing cooling pumps, exposed intercooler radiators, thermostats that fail unsafe. Sheesh. Whoever designed the cooling loop for the 3.0T should have their German citizenship revoked.

rktskicar

I went in for a T-Stat replace 5 days ago and still do not have my car. They cracked one of my ICs in the supercharger during replace and there are no replacement ICs in the US. I am not sure when I will get my car back.

Bruce

redrocker55

I was going to write this reply to Neal and after reading the last post I have to include Bruce.

Sorry guys. Can't believe this is happening. Out of curiosity what mileage are you guys at?

Very smart Neal to crank the heater! And thankfully you have turned on the lap timer to track oil temps. Pretty amazing that the heater kept the oil and coolant temps down. I'm impressed! Another bonus to having the 7 speed DSG...you can more easily keep revs down to lower engine heat in the event of a failed closed T-stat! You might have been running higher temps with only 6 speeds to choose from on a manual.

Bruce...can't believe the IC cracked. How does that happen? Did they drop something on it?

Hope you guys get back on the road soon!

Let's hope this is the last weak link in the cooling system and V.A.G. has everything sorted out for us.

Keep us posted.

rktskicar

redrocker- I received a notice from Audi that I needed to do a RVU (required vehicle update) for T-Stat replace even though mine had not failed by VIN number. I was going to do for a service anyway (15K), so I brought it in. The T-Stat is underneath the supercharger. Apparently, when the replaced the T-Stat, they damaged one of the ICs in the supercharger. I do not know how they damaged the IC. My SA called up and said "we replaced your T-Stat, but your car is leaking coolant now and you can't pick it up". Later he said, "we traced it to one of ICs, we will order you a new one". Right now there are no ICs in the USA, so I don't know when I will get my car back. My SA said could be a week or more.

Bruce

Bruce

redrocker55

Hey Bruce...let's hope one shows up. ECS Tuning? Would they have one in stock?

I had a door sensor that went bad early one and the parts distribution center(s) for Audi did not have the part...but a dealer in Maryland did. Hopefully something like that can happen for you. They put me in a A6 and I wanted to try out the Q5 with the 2.0 and 8 sp...when that Q5 came back they called me and I switched out my loaner.

Hopefully they put you in a good loaner that you can be happy with for a few days...

Wonder who pays for the I/C? Obviously the dealer did something accidentally to damage it. Wonder if Audi will pick up the cost of the part/labor to have that replaced also.

Good luck with everything.

rktskicar

redrocker- all this IC stuff and T-Stat is on their dime. The car is under warranty and they screwed up the T-Stat install.. It is only irritating to me. My loaner which I have had for 5 days now is a Jetta 2.5 (They are a VW/Audi dealer).

Bruce

redrocker55

Got cha...I meant I wonder if the dealer has to pay for the I/C or if Audi will pick it up since the dealer broke it.

I bet it's irritating. Thankfully I have not had any of the coolant system issues...but if I had I would be going nuts.

Nothing wrong with the Jetta...I almost bought one of those 2 months ago. It's not an S4...but it could be a lot worse. I would think it would be oK to call them and ask for an Audi as a loaner...especially if it's going to be a few more days. They should understand that simple request.

LeoR604

Since reunification, I understand a bunch of former Trabant "engineers" are now working for "other" German companies.