OK - I'm new, and unfortunately I'm starting off with a desperate plea for help.
I've got a 1.8T A6 1998 c5, and it's started overheating. I think. I can drive for a few miles before the light comes on, at which point I stop and wait for it to cool down again. There is no noticable difference in performance at any point, there's no smoke and there's plenty of coolant. It cools down faster if I leave the engine on idle, and if I'm driving slowly in heavy, stop-start traffic you'd never know there was a problem. I have been forced to use the car, otherwise I wouldn't, so please help as quickly as you can all find it in your good hearts to do so, if it's going to explode please tell me and I'll take a few days off work until I get paid and I can get it fixed! Any help at all. Oh - it's not leaking, and all the hoses appear outwardly fine.

An interesting thing to mention is that it started doing this just after i picked it up from a garage that had been dealing with a brake problem. I'm not suggesting it has anything to do with the brakes, but if you know of any old garage-tricks to rip people off with overheating problems, please pass them on!

Thanks a lot!

 

Hmmm not sure. HOw many miles do you have on it? In stop-and-go traffic do you have the heater on?

 

I've got lots of miles on it, just under 130,000. No, I don't have the heater on. Would it make a big difference if I did?

 

As an update to anyone who can help. turning the heater on did make a big difference - any ideas for what it might be anyone?

 

As an update to anyone who can help. turning the heater on did make a big difference - any ideas for what it might be anyone?

 

Well, if having the heater on keeps your engine heat down then your thermostat is bad or going bad. If that's the case, you might as well have the water pump replaced too and probably the timing belt just as preventative measure.

 

Sounds like that is the thermostat, Goodluck, that may get expensive