# Need help. 06 Jetta cool/warm heat issues ..



## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

Looking for some input guys before I sell this car after owning it for 1 week. I had a passat for the last 2 months that probably had a bad heater core and was going to flush it but someone bought it and good riddance and it barely had heat. Fast forward to it's replacement an 06 with 120k km and only after 45 mins to an hour of driving does the heat have an impact and even then if idling and the heat on high it gets warm and then almost cool. This is driving me nuts especially today which was -30c with windchill. If I turn the heat to my feet it feels like there's a blizzard blowing up my pant legs.

Anyhow today I checked the coolant level. At the top of the marks. I left the cap off and let it idle and held the rpms a little to get the coolant flowing hopefully to move any air. Didn't help if anything.

Then on the way home I stopped at the grocery store and decided to be a hero and check for system pressure. So after a slow 45 minute drive and it being parked for 10 mins while I ran inside to get stuff.. I turned the reservoir cap and there was no air or pressure at all.

Just now I ran the car till warm and pulled in the driveway . The top hose is really hot. The bottom hose is ice cold. Now I'm confused. The stat can't be stuck closed, the car doesn't overheat. Could it possibly be stuck open ?? The car does take REALLY long to hit the 90 mark or straight up (can't recall if it's 90). This morning it took about 15 minutes to feel the slightest heat and I only got warm air after 30 mins when I was literally a few mins from my work lot. 

This sucks ... Really need heat any thoughts on a plan of attack to narrow the possibilities? I can't find any DIY on thermostat or the water pump for the 2.5. I read somewhere the intake needs to be removed.. Wtf serious?

Cheers


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## afawal2012 (Jan 9, 2013)

It doesn't sound like you have a blockage or air in your coolant system. Both those cases would cause an engine to overheat.

If the thermostat was stuck open, you wouldn't get any heat, but it's possible that it's on it's way out by what you are describing. That would be my best guess. My 2.5 was probably at operating temp in about 10 minutes or slightly less this morning - with the fan off the entire time. -25C, windchill -35C.

Keep in mind that we have been having extremely cold weather (Toronto, Ontario), and and EVERYTHING in the car is cold, including air ducts etc.... it takes a few extra minutes for the interior of the car to warm up before you start getting hot air coming through. If you have your fan on a high setting right when you turn the car on, it's going to take MUCH LONGER for your engine to warm up. I keep the fan off until the engine is warm, then I turn the heat on, usually no more that (2), (3) if it is absolutely necessary. In these temperatures, as soon as you turn the heat on in your car, the engine will cool down a little as well until it "catches up".

Good luck.


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## bjohns86 (Nov 7, 2011)

I am unsure as to what your ambient temperature is in your area but the fact that your upper hose is hot will the bottom is ice cold says that the thermostat is likely not opening as the bottom hose is connected to the thermostat housing. You also may not be hot enough for it to open from the drive to and from work, again depending on temperature. If you have the Ross-Tech VAGCOM you can plot the sensor (G62) reading and see if a drop in temperature happens, indicating that the thermostat opened, which should then be felt as warm coolant in the lower hose. Did you get a check engine light in the last few weeks? The ECM will pick up discrepancies in temperature and flag it if it out of line. Also, yes, the intake manifold does need to be removed to replace the thermostat, but the only tool required for this is a long 6mm hex socket. If you end up replacing the thermostat the I would replace the temperature sensor (G62) too as it is easily accessible and you have to drain the system anyway. If you need the procedure for replacing the thermostat shoot me a message and I'll email it to you.

Good Luck!

Brad


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## gugu1981 (Jul 25, 2011)

could it be as simple as improper coolant/water ratio used? So it's freezing in the radiator?



Peter


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm in Oakville and we did just have insanely cold weather yesterday. Last night I did idle the car and hold the revs at 2-2.5k to see if I could get the lower hose hot by warming the motor up in my driveway but nothing incl no fans. It was seriously cold and breezy so I could see an open thermostat as a possibility but it doesn't explain how the top hose gets hot and the bottom not even warm.


Brad thank you pm inc I'd love any info on the t stat.


Just left work about 32 mins ago and I'm doing a steady 55mph (85km or so).. The temp needle hit 90 about 5 mins ago. So around 25 mins to hit operating temp. Seems kind of long to me. The heat to my feet is warm . When I turn it to the cents it does come out very warm then goes to warm unless I keep the blower speed to 1-2. Maybe I'm just used to all my other cars blowing burning heat where I would have to turn it down. In this case it's waiting for it to get hot and when it starts to.. I'm home.


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

gugu1981 said:


> could it be as simple as improper coolant/water ratio used? So it's freezing in the radiator?
> 
> 
> 
> Peter


The heat hasn't been 'hot' since I bought the car but it is a possibility. The coolant is a nice pink and is clear and I believe service said they refilled with g12 when they did the pump 7k ago. I was thinking too much g12? I believe the mix would lose it's ability to pull heat but the temp stays at 90 once it's there.


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## afawal2012 (Jan 9, 2013)

5ABI VT said:


> The heat hasn't been 'hot' since I bought the car but it is a possibility. The coolant is a nice pink and is clear and I believe service said they refilled with g12 when they did the pump 7k ago. I was thinking too much g12? I believe the mix would lose it's ability to pull heat but the temp stays at 90 once it's there.


You would also get overheating in this case as well if there is a blockage due to the coolant icing up, and likely a leaky rad due to the expansion when the coolant freezes.


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## afawal2012 (Jan 9, 2013)

5ABI VT said:


> The heat hasn't been 'hot' since I bought the car but it is a possibility. The coolant is a nice pink and is clear and I believe service said they refilled with g12 when they did the pump 7k ago. I was thinking too much g12? I believe the mix would lose it's ability to pull heat but the temp stays at 90 once it's there.


Tomorrow is going to be another deep freeze with temperatures feeling like -40C with windchill..... Any updates?


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

afawal2012 said:


> Tomorrow is going to be another deep freeze with temperatures feeling like -40C with windchill..... Any updates?


Had some issues with the squeaky blower I lubed up it was blowing the 40a fuse when turned on high. Pulled it out and connected it straight to the battery and let it run on high for a few mins and it works good now. The heat, not so much. It's freezing today.. I kept the heat off until about 15-20 mins into my drive , 25 mins from home and it finally hit the 90 I turned the heat on and .. Warm air.. Kept my gloves on the whole way. 

Good thing is someone is coming to look at the car tonight. Had my eye on a 2.0 6 speed or a passat wagon.. But hesitant to pick up another VW with 2 cars in a row with heat issues :/ last night I had my dad's SUV (2010 ford edge) and 10 mins from cold I was taking my jacket off. The vents are like blow torches in comparison.


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

Ok just got home after 40 mins of driving .. Fan on high and the heat blows warm. My best guess this warm would be right in the middle of the temperature switch if functioning correctly. When I rev the motor to 1500 it warms slightly. If I rev to 2500 and hold it blows warmer still but not what I would consider hot. If my dad's ford edge was a 10 for hot heat this car is varying between 5-6 maybe a 7 when revving /10.


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

Just found out the cpo warsanty is still valid until feb.2 and 125k km (just hit 120). Woohoo!! Everything is pointing towards a head gasket so I'm pretty thankful! Calling VW to setup an appt. 

Will report back


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

Taking it to VW. Before I left I thought I'd try a few things that I do when I coolant burp my vettes. I put a vice grip on the coolant hose restricting it a little to increase pressure. I left the reservoir cap off and got back in the car. Before I could get on the gas to spin up the waterpump I noticed my temp gage was down below 75 :I. That's sitting at idle while I was under hood setting up the clamp and checking fluid level. That tells me there was air in the system . At idle however, the heat cooks down to lukewarm. Either there is a leak somewhere or possibly a head gasket :/ 

Either way I'll report back to help anyone in the future if they have similar issues.


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

Well so much for cpo. I was polite and calm and went to the service manager who was a total douchebag and had no idea what he was talking about trying to explain to me why the heat isn't coming out. He basically said it's Colder outside and the car can't get hot. I politely said that's what the thermostat is for and he started to get irritated with me. 

The very last service only 3 weeks ago from the previous owner was for a coolant leak and a few things and coolant was added. I told the service advisor the very last service was for coolant and it should have been bled properly. The advisor said they would send the car out to a coolant specialist to flush the system for $150 and if it fixes the problem it would be at my cost because there was air in the system. 

Like wtf?


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## afawal2012 (Jan 9, 2013)

Are you getting oil in your coolant? When you pull the oil dipstick does it have a lot of foamy white stuff? These are some symptoms to a leaky head gasket.

Again, if there was air in the system, I would have expected overheating issues..... not the opposite.

Wait for the weekend, the temperatures will go back above freezing and maybe can help you further with diagnosis.


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## 5ABI VT (Nov 9, 2013)

No oil in the coolant. I changed the oil last week and I took a sample to send to blackstone for analysis just for fun so they will probably tell me if there is any coolant in there. I ended up selling the car the day after though :facepalm: I picked up a mazda 3 in the meantime but im going to look for a 2.0 6 speed jetta so hopefully Ill be back in one pretty soon. Thanks for all the input and replies. Much appreciated.


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## rabbitransit (Feb 18, 2007)

My 07 rabbit has always taken a long time to reach operating temp. It takes 15minutes on side roads to get to 170, once on the highway it usually jumps up. This is at 0 Deg F.


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## systdow666 (Dec 27, 2013)

had same problem I think the themrostats like to stick in these cars and in the cold they do it more frequently I'm looking into replacing with a higher temp for better heat perf. maybe a 195


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