220 Degree Operating Temp

[Chestah Cheetah]

This is a long one...

2004 Cayenne S

I have been having this ongoing problem for a while now: In city driving and "stop n go" - the car runs in the 215-220 degree range. I do smell a little bit of coolant and the fan does stay on for a while after I park the car. Once I get on the highway and pick up speed, the temp drops back down to "half" on the gauge and seems normal.

Late December I took the car in for warranty service regarding this issue. At that time, the car would leak coolant and at one point was low enough to illuminate the coolant level warning on the dash. Dealer stated I had cracks in the cooling pipes and they needed to be replaced. They literally held my car hostage for 2 1/2 weeks until the newly designed pipes came in from Germany. Picked the car up and all of the symptoms were still there except for the actual leaking coolant. The city driving along with "stop n go" was still around 215-220 degrees, the coolant smell was sometimes still there, and the fan would stay on after parking the vehicle. Again, the vehicle would operate normally at prolonged higher speeds. No coolant light on dash.

I finally had a chance to take the car in again in February (different dealer this time) to address the issue. The said they supposedly found "air bubbles" in the system as well as a loose hose clamp. They bled the system and tightened the hose. After they took it out for prolonged drives they pronounced the car to be operating in the normal range now and NOT 215-220. After I pick up the car and drive off...you guessed it - the same exact symptoms as before. "Stop n go" is still at 215-220, the fan stays on after parking, and a slight coolant smell at times. No coolant light on dash.

I call a different service writer who states he used to be a tech and he claims that 215-220 is normal operating for city and "stop n go." Says the fan staying on is normal as well.

Why wouldn't the other service writers tell me this?

Who is giving me correct information?

Do these cars have a conventional thermostat that may not be opening properly?

Where do your cars measure as far as temperature?

If this is truly normal I would simply like to know so that I can drop the issue.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[mudman2]

What you describe sounds like a normal Cayenne.

The pipes fail and leak they do nothing else to impact operation. Mostly in warmer climates. I see nothing wrong. I have an 04S.

This is a long one...

2004 Cayenne S

I have been having this ongoing problem for a while now: In city driving and "stop n go" - the car runs in the 215-220 degree range. I do smell a little bit of coolant and the fan does stay on for a while after I park the car. Once I get on the highway and pick up speed, the temp drops back down to "half" on the gauge and seems normal.

Late December I took the car in for warranty service regarding this issue. At that time, the car would leak coolant and at one point was low enough to illuminate the coolant level warning on the dash. Dealer stated I had cracks in the cooling pipes and they needed to be replaced. They literally held my car hostage for 2 1/2 weeks until the newly designed pipes came in from Germany. Picked the car up and all of the symptoms were still there except for the actual leaking coolant. The city driving along with "stop n go" was still around 215-220 degrees, the coolant smell was sometimes still there, and the fan would stay on after parking the vehicle. Again, the vehicle would operate normally at prolonged higher speeds. No coolant light on dash.

I finally had a chance to take the car in again in February (different dealer this time) to address the issue. The said they supposedly found "air bubbles" in the system as well as a loose hose clamp. They bled the system and tightened the hose. After they took it out for prolonged drives they pronounced the car to be operating in the normal range now and NOT 215-220. After I pick up the car and drive off...you guessed it - the same exact symptoms as before. "Stop n go" is still at 215-220, the fan stays on after parking, and a slight coolant smell at times. No coolant light on dash.

I call a different service writer who states he used to be a tech and he claims that 215-220 is normal operating for city and "stop n go." Says the fan staying on is normal as well.

Why wouldn't the other service writers tell me this?

Who is giving me correct information?

Do these cars have a conventional thermostat that may not be opening properly?

Where do your cars measure as far as temperature?

If this is truly normal I would simply like to know so that I can drop the issue.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Chestah Cheetah]

Does yours operate at 215-220 during city and "stop n go"? How about the fan staying on afterwards? Any slight smell of coolant?

[mudman2]

1 - Fan always stays on for a while

2 - Coolant smell is most likely overspill burn-off and will disappear over time

3 - Center to a little higher during a long run or in the summer otherwise center

Does yours operate at 215-220 during city and "stop n go"? How about the fan staying on afterwards? Any slight smell of coolant?

[Chestah Cheetah]

1 - Fan always stays on for a while

2 - Coolant smell is most likely overspill burn-off and will disappear over time

3 - Center to a little higher during a long run or in the summer otherwise center

Does yours operate at 215-220 during city and "stop n go"? How about the fan staying on afterwards? Any slight smell of coolant?

2 - I would figure the smell would have been burned off by now, it has been a few months now.

3 - Mine runs "center or a little higher" during highway runs when I believe the cooling system is functioning properly. My issue lies with it running near or at 3/4 on temp. gauge during the "stop n go" city driving.

Do you experience 215-220 in "stop n go" city driving?

Thanks.

[tyil]

I had a similar issue, and the temp was going up to 3/4 marker when I stop at a red light for a long period (due to traffic). It woudl start by moving up and back to normal (mid point), and gradually reaching higher temps. One time I had to pull over and stop the car :(. After the long wait, once I get on the high way, it drops down to 1/2 marker within a minute.

Dealer diagnosed it as 'Water Pump fins missing', and 'Bearing Failure'. They relaced the Water Pump assembly, but it has not fixed the problem. If I get stuck in the same red light, I see the same behaviour event at cooler air temps (like 45 F).

Tunc

1 - Fan always stays on for a while

2 - Coolant smell is most likely overspill burn-off and will disappear over time

3 - Center to a little higher during a long run or in the summer otherwise center

Does yours operate at 215-220 during city and "stop n go"? How about the fan staying on afterwards? Any slight smell of coolant?

2 - I would figure the smell would have been burned off by now, it has been a few months now.

3 - Mine runs "center or a little higher" during highway runs when I believe the cooling system is functioning properly. My issue lies with it running near or at 3/4 on temp. gauge during the "stop n go" city driving.

Do you experience 215-220 in "stop n go" city driving?

Thanks.

[Chestah Cheetah]

Dealer diagnosed it as 'Water Pump fins missing', and 'Bearing Failure'. They relaced the Water Pump assembly, but it has not fixed the problem. If I get stuck in the same red light, I see the same behaviour event at cooler air temps (like 45 F).

Interesting. So what is your next plan of action?

[tyil]

After the last visit, they said to keep an eye on it, that some movement in temp is normal (even though I have nto seen it on other verhicles, but it could be that the insturmentation in Cayenne may be more sensitive). One definite indication from them was that heating up to 3/4 marker was not normal, and I have not seen it go that high yet (but I have been avoiding that red light, so did not have the circumstances to verify yet)

Dealer diagnosed it as 'Water Pump fins missing', and 'Bearing Failure'. They relaced the Water Pump assembly, but it has not fixed the problem. If I get stuck in the same red light, I see the same behaviour event at cooler air temps (like 45 F).

Interesting. So what is your next plan of action?

[White987S]

Did the dealership find the "missing fins"? If the fins broke off, where are they? Maybe this is adding to the problem.

[Chestah Cheetah]

One definite indication from them was that heating up to 3/4 marker was not normal

I had just received a call back from Porsche corporate regarding this issue. They stated that they spoke to a regional tech manager who said that it is normal if the car operates between 160 and 260 :o Pretty big range. Don't really know what to do anymore really. If this is normal I'll just leave it alone. Any others having this issue?

[carldh]

Chestah,

Mine does the same thing... i live in Az an on the way home the Outside temp is about 94 degrees on the way home.... im stuck in traffic for about an hour "stop an go".... my temp gauge has got almost to the line before the red, but when i got out of traffic to "clean air" the temp dropped to 1/2 right away....i smell coolant as well when i park but the level has not dropped at all...so if this is normal i would feel a lot better...hahaha

thanks,

Carl

[tonga3]

I found that if the air conditioner is on in traffic then the temp is stable. If I drive with the windows open in traffic the temp creeps up and then falls again.

[mitymikec]

I too had the coolant pipes replaced and still smell coolant once in a while. i can't find a leak. i was told there was coolant under the intake that needed to evaporate? beat's me....my gauge does go upto 3/4 in warm weather but since things have cooled down its almost at half.

[TopGun2000]

I have had this similar problem, 215-220F in "stop n go" city driving, for a while. Mine is 04 CTT with 88km on it.

I am thinking it could be the coolant temperature sensor not sending correct data so the cooling fans won't be turned when needed.

So I am guessing the fans and temp gauge are using different sensors?

Quoted

"The coolant and ambient temperature.

The coolant thermostat starts to open at approx. 80 °C coolant temperature and is fully open at approx. 92 °C. the two infinitely variable fans 1 and 2 are activated at approx. 93 °C (200F) and reach their full power output at approx. 105 °C (220F)."

Edited October 9, 2011 by TopGun2000

[deilenberger]

I too had the coolant pipes replaced and still smell coolant once in a while. i can't find a leak. i was told there was coolant under the intake that needed to evaporate?

The valley under the starter is actually fairly deep, and can hold quite a bit of coolant before it spills over dripping down on the torque converter seal (and ruining it.) The coolant apparently dries into a rock hard like substance - and when it's really humid out and the engine is hot, it seems even though it dried up, it will give off a bit of a smell.

I also suspect the coolant reservoir may be a problem point.. mine will stay forever at the MIN level (checked with a cold engine), but if I top it off to bring it up to the FULL level (top of the round thingie - takes about 8 Oz of coolant) - I'll get a smell until it drops back down to the MIN level (where it will happily stay.) I've given up on trying to keep it on FULL (or MAX - whatever..) I see new reservoirs on Flea-Bay for around $60, so that's on the get-around-to-it-list (right after I put a new radiator, and coolant reservoir in SWMBO BMW 5-touring..) Funny thing is - the system keeps pressure just fine (and pulls a very slight vacuum when it cools down, wonder if the vent in the cap is plugged?)

[working4it]

I made post not to long ago asking what everyone's operating temp and most came back at 180 f. My 04 s runs 180 to 200 in normal city driving. Stopped traffic I have only seen it go as high as 230 or so + or - a few degrees. The fans kick in and keep it below the 3/4 mark.

[TopGun2000]

According to the tech doc, the fans should kick in around 200. But mine don't do that unless the A/C is on. So it must be the coolant temp sensor, right?

[Loren]

According to the tech doc, the fans should kick in around 200. But mine don't do that unless the A/C is on. So it must be the coolant temp sensor, right?

Have you verified temperatures at the sensors with Durametric or a PIWIS tester? If not, I would not change anything until you can see which reading does not agree.

[UTRacerX9]

Mine rarely goes above the half way mark, usually it's just a tick to the left of it, and I had 60 days of 100+ temperatures here in TX this year. Only time I really ever saw it creep a decent amount toward the 3/4 mark was when my wife had the car running in the garage for a few minutes with the garage door open and it was about 110 degrees outside, and the garage just had no airflow.

[wvicary]

I too had the coolant pipes replaced and still smell coolant once in a while. i can't find a leak. i was told there was coolant under the intake that needed to evaporate?

The valley under the starter is actually fairly deep, and can hold quite a bit of coolant before it spills over dripping down on the torque converter seal (and ruining it.) The coolant apparently dries into a rock hard like substance - and when it's really humid out and the engine is hot, it seems even though it dried up, it will give off a bit of a smell.

I also suspect the coolant reservoir may be a problem point.. mine will stay forever at the MIN level (checked with a cold engine), but if I top it off to bring it up to the FULL level (top of the round thingie - takes about 8 Oz of coolant) - I'll get a smell until it drops back down to the MIN level (where it will happily stay.) I've given up on trying to keep it on FULL (or MAX - whatever..) I see new reservoirs on Flea-Bay for around $60, so that's on the get-around-to-it-list (right after I put a new radiator, and coolant reservoir in SWMBO BMW 5-touring..) Funny thing is - the system keeps pressure just fine (and pulls a very slight vacuum when it cools down, wonder if the vent in the cap is plugged?)

Replace the coolant cap.

[mcbit500]

I have slightly different symptoms here in 40-50 deg Dubai. My gauge will maintain a left of centre 80 deg when stopped or in traffic. When maintaining any reasonable speed it will also maintain that position, any application of the throttle which involves a little turbo boost will result in a rise in temp about 5-10 deg which will drop down again when a constant speed is resumed.

Strange behaviour for me!

[ManMN]

Mine is '04 S and does the same at stop n go traffic, climbing up to 220F (I just started noticing it!). I'm not convinced that temperature's swing between 180-220F is normal at all. Folks, we all have driven other made before the Porsche, right? normal car don't do that! I think I will listen to 1 of the advices to replace the coolant cap first....

[mcbit500]

I think that you have to look at the history of the particular car you are driving; for the first 6 months of ownership my 05 CTT maintained its temperature at all times just to the left of the 80C mark, now it doesn't so for me there has been a change and implicitly a departure from the norm.

Still doesn't concern me too much, but I am intrigued as to why!

[TopGun2000]

WOW, didn't know Durametric software has gotten so much better. It can even read transmission temperature now so I should be able to do a tranny service myself.

Okay, in engine actual values section (idle),

Engine Temperature -------------- 84C

Engine Oil Temperature ------------ 81C

Engine Temperature (sensor) ----- 0V

Engine Oil Tmeperature (sensor)-- 0V

I am confused. If sensors are not working, how come the computer can get correct data regarding temperature?

(Everyone should get himself a copy of Durametric!!! :thumbup: )

[TopGun2000]

Here is the deal. The fans did kick in when the engine temperature reached around 200F(93C). So the coolant temperature sensor is not the problem. (The fans were switched off as soon as the temperature dropped below 200F)

But I did notice that the coolant temperature kept going up when the car was idling which doesn't sound normal considering the ambient temperature was only 70F.

Edited October 11, 2011 by TopGun2000