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Failed Temperature Gauge

JP_Albin

JP_Albin

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Hello everyone,

For context, my car is a 997.1 C2S tiptronic (MY2005). Owned it since 2014 and it has 85k miles.

My (water) temperature gauge has failed (this is the top gauge on the second cluster from the right, same as the petrol gauge is). My local Porsche Indie has now changed it twice, and it keeps failing... The oil temperature gauge (left hand cluster) shows that the car is not warming up properly.

I have NO idea if these 2 gauges are somehow linked? My Indie is baffled...

I am NOT technical or mechanical, but any advice would be appreciated... Maybe a second opinion? But then again, I have already spent money trying to resolve this problem, and it seems fair to let my current Indie try and work it out.

Many thanks JP
 
This is caused by a failed vacuum switch that controls the coolant flow to the tiptronic oil cooler. When the car is cold , coolant is prevented entering the tiptronic oil cooler system to try to ensure the actual engine coolant gets up to temperature quickly. When the switch fails the engine coolant is slow to heat up and the ecu detects this and forces the error which messes with the oil and temp gauges. It’s quite easy to change and a new vacuum switch is about £40. Hope this helps. Edit. Once the vacuum switch is replaced the gauges return to normal and don’t need replacing. Any relating error codes need resetting with an OBD scanner.
 
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Thank you very much for your help in this!! I shall pass that info on, and report back once resolved!!


Cheers!! jp
 
Just to add to the above, Googling “Failed temperature gauge on Porsche 997.1 Tiptronic” gives the following and includes some additional information which could be useful for your specialist:

A failed or erratic temperature gauge on a 997.1 Tiptronic is a known issue, frequently caused by a failure of the coolant shut-off valve (or "change-over valve") associated with the gearbox cooler, rather than a faulty gauge cluster itself.
Common Causes for 997.1 Tiptronic Temperature Issues:
  • Failed Coolant Shut-Off Valve: The Tiptronic uses a vacuum-operated valve to manage gearbox coolant. If this valve fails, it can keep the cooling circuit open, preventing the engine from reaching operating temperature and causing the gauge to drop to zero.
  • Vacuum System Leak: A loss of vacuum to that solenoid can also result in the same behavior.
  • Coolant Leak/Air Lock: A small coolant leak (often on the offside main pipe) can cause an air lock that tricks the temperature sensor.
Symptoms:
  • Temperature gauge drops to zero or acts erratically.
  • Flashing red warning light on the coolant gauge.
  • Car takes a long time to warm up.
  • Fault codes P3081 or P2181.
Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue:
  1. Check the Valve: Inspect the grey vacuum valve located near the gearbox mounts (rear, near-side/left-side). The rod should move when the car is started; if it doesn't, the valve is likely failed.
  2. Check for Leaks: Look for pink crusty deposits (dried coolant) on the coolant pipes, especially above the right-side drive shaft.
  3. Repair: Replacing the change-over valve (Part: P7PP 906.270) is often a relatively inexpensive and straightforward fix that resolves the gauge issues.
If the coolant level is correct, the issue is almost certainly related to the Tiptronic transmission coolant circuit valve, rather than the engine's main thermostat.

Jeff
 
Hey Jeff,

Thank you very much for your detailed response, this is very useful.

I must apologise for the tardy response - I thought that I had already replied to you.

All the best! JP
 
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