Check engine light/Cold light periodically

[bulldoggergal]

I'm definitely not a mechanic but I can tell you what is happening and my observations in hopes that a VW guru recognizes the combination and can help...my spouse says to ignore the lights.

For the past few weeks, the blue "cold" light that comes on when you first start the car, but goes off after a few minutes, goes off but comes on after a little while (the car is definitely warm). Sometimes it stays on, every now and then it flashes, then it will go off...definitely intermittent but happening more often.

Checked the H20/radiator and it was a little below full so I topped off but the light still comes on and stays intermittently.

Then our check engine light comes on (the yellow one) and stays on.

I've noticed a "whine" for a few minutes at the very first start up (in the cooler mornings 40-50 degrees) that only whines during the first few "high idle" minutes than stops. This too is very intermittent and it seems to happen the colder it is getting but the car is kept in a garage.

The only other thing I've noticed on occasion is that if I suddenly throw on the brakes, the oil light will come on,then flash but then quickly go off. Same with the blue cold light.

Does any of these things put together indicate what the problem could be. We are in a rural area and nowhere near a VW dealership...don't necessarily want a shade tree mechanic fixing something that's "major".

We have a Turbo NB, 2001, 145,000 miles, mostly highway miles.

THANK YOU!!!

[bulldoggergal]

FYI: Kinda funny that all of these issues are mentioned recently in the threads...here are a few of those issues currently happening or have been recently dealt with:

The Airbag light is also on (has been for a while)

The A/C stopped blowing cold air (at first intermittently, then altogether) last summer.

The front low beam headlight was burned out, we kept replacing the bulb and it would work for a day and then stop working (not necessarily burned out). After months of "messing" with it...finally got it to work and stay that way! (knock on wood)

[CoriBug]

blue light - your coolant sensor probably needs replaced.
airbag light - when this is on, your airbags will NOT deploy if needed. my driver's side seat belt buckle needed replaced because a wire was bad. try "VW Parts" - "Volkswagen Parts" - Parts and Accessories Catalog. you can replace this yourself with the correct tools.

[bulldoggergal]

Thank you! I did not know that it won't deploy so that's definitely a fix that needs to be done. I hadn't had a chance to search for a loose wire under the seat...could it still be that?

How did you know it was the seat belt buckle that needed to be replaced?

As far as the other sensor...can I replace it or does a dealer/shop have to do that?

[CoriBug]

The dealer said the computer was throwing an airbag code that was for the buckle. You need a tool called a triple square. AutoZone and Checker Auto Parts do NOT carry this tool. If this is your Beetle's problem, try Metalnerd?s VW TDI Engine Tools, Tools for VW Beetles, Jetta, Passat Golfs, Audi or www.tdiparts.com The seat must be removed to replace the buckle. You also need to disconnect the battery so the airbags won't accidently deploy. The airbag light will still be on until it's cleared by a VAG-COM. As for the sensor, you can definitely do that yourself. I had my mechanic do it though because he didn't charge anything. There is a How To for that here somewhere....

[alquimista]

Hi. I am having the same problem. It looks like it takes longer for the "cold" sign to dissapear from the dash board. And since the temp dropped to around 30's, my check engine light came up, does any one know what can it mean? is there something I can do?

[Smileybug]

The cold light on the dash is telling you that your engine isn't up to operating temperature. So when it gets colder out, it will of course take longer for that light to go out.

If you have a CEL, go to an Autozone and get the car scanned for codes. They do that for free.

[schen72]

It is normal for the blue temp light to come on while the engine is cold. It is simply the Beetle's version of a temp gauge. "Blue" means cold, "no light" means normal, and "red" means overheating.

And yes, it will obviously take longer in the winter for the blue light to go out.

[archiebug]

The blue temp light also means there is a fault in the Electrical circuit that controls the water temp.

If its comes on whilst you are driving change the coolant temp sensor as 99% of the time thats ususally the problem.