Not getting up to temp?

[Pistachio]

I drove the 182 6 miles to work this morning. I had the a.c. on to demist the windows to begin with, but it stayed on all the way to work in auto climate mode set to 26 degrees. It said the temperature outside was 5 degrees when I got to work, so not too cold and plenty of driving under load. Sat idling for 10 minutes and it still didn't get to temp. I've been noticing this a lot recently where it doesn't seem to get up to running temp very quickly and even after reaching half way will sometimes drop down a little again.

This was sitting at work

Is this most likely to be the coolant temp sensor at fault? Or the thermostat itself?

Thanks for any help

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Thermostat stuck open is my guess.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I drove the 182 6 miles to work this morning. I had the a.c. on to demist the windows to begin with, but it stayed on all the way to work in auto climate mode set to 26 degrees. It said the temperature outside was 5 degrees when I got to work, so not too cold and plenty of driving under load. Sat idling for 10 minutes and it still didn't get to temp. I've been noticing this a lot recently where it doesn't seem to get up to running temp very quickly and even after reaching half way will sometimes drop down a little again.

This was sitting at work
View attachment 1527198

Is this most likely to be the coolant temp sensor at fault? Or the thermostat itself?

Thanks for any help

Mines been doing exactly this for a few months. I put it down to the outside temp being colder. If I turn the heater off and sit there with it idling it does reach halfway. As soon as I start driving with the heater on, even on low like 18 degrees it drops again 1 mark on the temp gauge.
I wondered if it was anything to worry about or needs sorting sooner rather than later?

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Mines been doing exactly this for a few months. I put it down to the outside temp being colder. If I turn the heater off and sit there with it idling it does reach halfway. As soon as I start driving with the heater on, even on low like 18 degrees it drops again 1 mark on the temp gauge.
I wondered if it was anything to worry about or needs sorting sooner rather than later?

Thermostat. The cold weather should make no difference, not our cold weather anyway

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Thermostat. The cold weather should make no difference, not our cold weather anyway

I was thinking thermostat. If it is the thermostat, will having the heater on or off will affect it? When my heater is off and idling it gets up to temp quicker and will stay there longer but still drops when i start to drive.

 

[Louis]

Doesnt even look that bad? Dont know what mine goes to now! What's standard? Just over half?

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

I was thinking thermostat. If it is the thermostat, will having the heater on or off will affect it? When my heater is off and idling it gets up to temp quicker and will stay there longer but still drops when i start to drive.

Yeah having the heater on will cool the engine as you're drawing heat away. As the engine temp drops the thermostat should close to reduce the flow of coolant

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Doesnt even look that bad? Dont know what mine goes to now! What's standard? Just over half?

All mine have always been bang on half

 

[DrR]

Should be bang on halfway and stay there. If it doesn’t something is wrong.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

I dont drive my clio anymore but i used to have a 1 1/2 commute and my water temp would be cold by the time i got to work. I have an oil temp and that read normal so i was never that bothered.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

1 1/2 hour commute..

 

[Pistachio]

So more likely to be the thermostat then? If I'm going to be draining the system (it's due a flush anyway) would I be as well changing the temp sensor too?

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

So more likely to be the thermostat then? If I'm going to be draining the system (it's due a flush anyway) would I be as well changing the temp sensor too?

Might aswell if it's not been done for a while

 

[Pistachio]

Cheers guys

 

[Colin-S]

My temp guage is acting exactly the same way! It always stayed on the halfway mark and never moved before.

I've bought a genuine Renault thermostat & coolant temp sensor and will be replacing both as well as new coolant.

I think if you do the same it will fix your issue.

 

[Pistachio]

I just went for a drive with the heating off and it got up to temp after a couple of miles! Exactly half way. Switched the heating on and I could see the needle dropping straight away

 

[JamesBryan]

It'll take longer to heat up with the AC on because the fan will be on constantly pulling air through the radiators.

 

[Louis]

Watched mine on the way to work this morning. 6 mile journey same as @Pistachio with my blowers on the windscreen all the way at 16c (not 24c because I'm not a heathen).

Temperature sat just below middle most of the way but then in the last mile or so it got upto halfway. Does fluctuate slightly but presume it's down to the blowers being on? Mines a brand new rad and hoses but presume original coolant temp sensor and thermostat 👍

 

[Euan Baguette]

Mine definitely runs a little bit cooler in the very cold winter. Nothing to worry about in my opinion.


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[clio tyres]

just went for a drive with the heating off and it got up to temp after a couple of miles! Exactly half way. Switched the heating on and I could see the needle dropping straight away

That's normal.

 

[Pistachio]

That's normal.

Really? I've never seen it doing that before. Once it hit the middle line it would never move, heating on or not

 

[clio tyres]

Really? I've never seen it doing that before. Once it hit the middle line it would never move, heating on or not

Replace the thermostat and coolant temp sensor and you'll find out.

 

[DrR]

That's normal.

No car I have ever had does it once up to temperature, unless something has been faulty. My Clio 172 and 182 never did it.

 

[JamesBryan]

One thing worth noting is it's not 'up to temp' as soon as the needle hits the middle.

It's more of an indicator to say it's within range. It'll stay in the middle from like 50°c up until it overheats.

 

[Louis]

Just hold it on the limiter for 10 minutes in the morning. Soon get hot 👍🥵

 

[Amos91]

It should get up to the middle of the gauge and then stay there, even if you play with the heaters/fan.

The middle range is quite broad as previously mentioned, I remember playing round recording with the OBD, and it would only dip below the middle if the coolant temp was under something like 77°C. And stays there up to beyond 100°C.

 

[Craigy69k]

Air in system?

 

[Euan Baguette]

Surely a thermostat that was stuck open would present itself as a car that takes forever to actually get anywhere near the middle?

I was out in mine again the other night (7deg ambient) and the car came up to temp after no more than ten mins and a few miles of very easy driving. It never quiet got to bang on half way but sat pretty much just under it.

I don’t see this an issue but I’m willing to be educated on the matter. I can take physical water temp checks the next time I’m out.


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[davo172]

Replace the thermostat and coolant temp sensor and you'll find out.

This ^^^ always replace both
Stat not shutting properly

 

[Pistachio]

I replaced the thermostat and temp sensor and this morning it was fully up to temp after 2.5 miles with the heating on. That was driving in 30mph traffic and 6 degrees. Before I could drive 6+ miles with the heating off and it wouldn't hit the middle.

So I think that has definitely fixed the issue 😁👍

 

[Louis]

I replaced the thermostat and temp sensor and this morning it was fully up to temp after 2.5 miles with the heating on. That was driving in 30mph traffic and 6 degrees. Before I could drive 6+ miles with the heating off and it wouldn't hit the middle.

So I think that has definitely fixed the issue 😁👍

Do you have a link to the parts you bought? Glad its sorted!

 

[Pistachio]

Do you have a link to the parts you bought? Glad its sorted!

Renault Clio Megane Coolant Temperature Sensor F4R D4F

Renault Clio Megane Coolant Temperature Sensor F4R D4F - Renault Parts Direct - Renault Parts Direct is a web based service from our authorised Renault dealer.

renaultpartsdirect.co.uk

Renault Clio Megane Thermostat 8200772985 F4R 2.0 - RPD

Renault Clio Megane Thermostat 8200772985 F4R 2.0 - Renault Parts Direct - Renault Parts Direct is a web based service from our authorised Renault dealer.

renaultpartsdirect.co.uk

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I replaced the thermostat and temp sensor and this morning it was fully up to temp after 2.5 miles with the heating on. That was driving in 30mph traffic and 6 degrees. Before I could drive 6+ miles with the heating off and it wouldn't hit the middle.

So I think that has definitely fixed the issue 😁👍

So we'll never really know which part fixed the problem lol.

 

[Pistachio]

So we'll never really know which part fixed the problem lol.

I guess. They're not exactly high value parts though 🤷‍♂️

 

[Pistachio]

This has been fine since I fitted the above parts, but yesterday it was going mad fluctuating up and down. Seemed to drop with revs.

This morning I drove to work with it barely getting up to temp. Finally got up to temp, then when I parked at work it dropped way down and went on to high idle mode like it was stone cold.

Temp sensor gone again?

 

[JamesBryan]

CTS or the wiring to it i'd say yeah.

 

[MLB]

Wiring to the CTS all good?

 

[clio_ross]

This might seem random, but it might be worth checking or getting the battery checked as I had something similar when I had my 106 GTI years ago.

The oil temperature gauge starting acting like a mini rev counter, no other electrical weirdness other than this. Got the battery tested and turned out it had a dead cell; would show 12v static and 14v+ charging, but drop test proved it was dead. Change the battery and it went away.

Bit of a long shot, but would be an easy check to rule it out.

 

[Pistachio]

Not sure about the wiring, I'll need to check that. The battery was new 2020 after lock down. I think it is a decent make if I remember right.

I'm tempted to just chuck a new sensor in it

 

[R3k1355]

Is there only one sensor on this car?

Not uncommon to be one for the ECU and a separate one for the dash gauge.