Blue Coolant Light?

[thomdan]

I just purchased a 2003 Beetle and now the blue coolant light comes on when the vehicle is started - drive it down the road approximately 1/2 mile and the blue light goes off. Does anyone know if this is normal? I have read on this forum that a "red" light is bad (makes perfect sense) and is likely the water pump. I don't have a clue what the blue light means and why it would come on when the engine is cold but then go off after a short distance.

Help please!

[thomdan]

I should add that the car did not come with an owner's manual. Any idea where I can buy an owner's manual?

[hako]

My understanding is that the blue light means then engine is cold and "don't cane it". We live in tropical North Queensland Australia and out blue light stays on for about 7 mins in summer (30 to 40C) and up to 12 mins in winter (10-15C). Try your wreckers for a handbook. If that doesn't work PM me with what you want to know.

[thomdan]

Thanks hako! I appreciate you taking time to share your knowledge. I ordered the VAG-COM interface and software license today. I am 100 miles from a VW dealer and I now have the 2003 Beetle in addition to a 2006 Jetta TDI. I think the nearly $400 I spent will payoff big in the next few years. I also discovered today that I need to take out the after-market radio in the beetle and remove one pin from the wiring harness so that diagnostic tools can access the computer.

After reading the VAG-COM manual, I am now really impressed with the extensive diagnostic abilities of VW cars and much less fearful of problems with them. This board, with experienced VW people like you, is also a great asset.

[ice_wolf]

Any idea why the blue light would come on while you are driving?

[Franco2112]

Bad coolant temp sensor. Get the one from the VW dealer.

[esse101]

ice wolf, check your thermostat also. if the thermorstat is open or stays open during those intervals the engine will run cooler then normal and will throw the blue light. and also a check engine light with it. The front electric fans also have a thermal switch mounted at the bottom of the radiator frame, take it off and check it with an ohm meter, regular thermometer and boiling water to see if it changes states at the specified temperature of
the water. you can also do that with the temp. sensor good luck man.

[ice_wolf]

i just had my radiator fan switch replaced by a mechanic and it made no difference. right now it is 5 degrees outside and the fan starts running as soon as you start the car and doesnt stop untill 10 minutes after the car shuts off. needless to say it takes forever for the car to warm up with the radiator fan running while it is freezing outside. i pulled the radiator fan fuse for now so the car gets a chance to warm up and i do short trips for now so im not worried about it overheating or the battery getting run down in the cold. the dealer says its normal for the fan to run for ten minutes after the car shuts down. i unerstand this if the engine is hot but not when you start the car and move it 5 feet? i dont trust my dealer. they are very shady and i have called them out on other bs things in the past... is there a way to test the fan relay control? coulds that possibly be an issue? thermostat and water pump were changed last year. the problem seems to be the fan running when it shouldnt be. any help would be appreciated. thanks.

[esse101]

you are correct ice wolf , the fan should not be on when you first start the car. did you get a chance to buy the repair manual? it shows the control module for those fans and it works off the thermal switches. it also shows the electric circuit diagram. that control module could be shorted out or difective causing your fans to be on all the time. I would suspect it.......................also just a guestimation,but i know that the engine electronic control module try to conpensate for changes in temp. and atmospheric pressure the first time you turn it on and if it's some how defective it could be sending the wrong signals.it's part of the oxygen/fuel mixing ratio to set the correct fuel. in other words it thinks it's middle of summer in your case. good luck man

[LadyBug03]

Originally Posted by thomdan

I should add that the car did not come with an owner's manual. Any idea where I can buy an owner's manual?

I recently purchased an '03 Beetle as well, and had the same issue. The coolant light would come on in blue, then go away after driving it for a bit. This was new to me, as I drove a chevy S10 for years before this. Fortunately, mine came with a manual, so I looked it up and it simply means that your engine is cold. Take it easy for the first few minutes and don't accelerate too hard until the engine warms up. If the light shuts off once your car gets warm you are fine!

However, watch and see if it comes on during a drive, you may need to take it to a mechanic because it can mean the engine is having some sort of malfunction. If it comes on red at any time this means you are overheating or have low coolant levels. Good luck!