Volkswagen Tiguan Owners Manual: Warning light and engine coolant temperature gauge

Fig. 163 Engine coolant temperature gauge in the instrument cluster: Ⓐ Engine cold; Ⓑ Normal temperature range; Ⓒ Warning zone.

Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first⇒Introduction to the subject 

If the indicator in the engine coolant temperature gauge is located in the cold range Ⓐ, the engine has not reached operating temperature. High engine speeds and heavy engine loads should be avoided.

Under normal driving conditions, the needle should be in the middle of the gauge. The temperature may go higher when the engine is working hard, especially in hot weather.

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.

The following table explains what to do if the engine coolant warning light does not go out a few seconds after the engine is started or lights up or starts flashing while driving.

Lights up	Temperature gauge needle ⇒ Fig. 163	Possible cause	Proper response
	Ⓒ Warning zone	Engine coolant temperature too high.	Stop! Pull off the road and stop as soon as you can do so safely. Stop the engine and let it cool down until the temperature needle is in the normal range again. Check the engine coolant level and add coolant if needed ⇒ Checking engine coolant level and topping off . If the engine coolant level is correct or the problem continues after adding coolant and driving a short distance, do not drive any farther. Contact the nearest authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. If the coolant level is correct, the overheating may be caused by a radiator fan fault. Check the fuses and replace as necessary ⇒ Fuses .
	Ⓑ Normal range	Engine coolant level too low.	Check the engine coolant level after the engine has cooled down and add engine coolant if low ⇒ Checking engine coolant level and topping off . If the engine coolant level is correct or the problem continues after adding coolant, do not drive any farther. Contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. These instructions apply only when the coolant temperature stays in the normal range. Stop immediately if the needle goes into the red warning zone ⇒ Fig. 163Ⓒ .
	--	Engine coolant system malfunction.	Stop! Get assistance from an authorized Volkswagen dealer, an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or another qualified workshop.
–	Ⓐ Cold range	–	Do not drive at high engine speeds or with heavy engine loads until the engine warms up.

Flashes	Possible cause	Proper response
	Engine coolant system malfunction.	Contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.

Warning

Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.

• Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.

• Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.

Note

Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.