A3 Overheating: Electric Fan Failure Symptoms Alert

Had the exact same overheating issue with my 2010 A3 1.8. With basic maintenance experience, I can say this is often related to the radiator fan system. The engine cooling problem turned out to be a faulty wire connection to the electric fan motor. The radiator fan would work intermittently, causing the temperature to spike, especially in stop-and-go traffic. Took it to a workshop where they diagnosed and fixed the damaged cable connection for 95 Euro. Since then, the cooling system works perfectly, no more overheating issues and the fan kicks in exactly when needed. Before jumping to conclusions, could you share: Any warning lights on the dashboard? Does the overheating happen more during specific conditions? Have you noticed any coolant leaks? When was the last time you had the cooling system serviced? This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced or if there might be other factors at play. If the symptoms match, its likely a straightforward electrical fix rather than a more expensive mechanical problem with the fan motor itself or other cooling components.

Had my latest service done at 96000 KM and I am seeing warning lights only when the temperature gauge goes up. The overheating happens mostly in slow traffic and during summer days. No visible coolant leaks under the car. The temperature control system was last checked during the service 600 KM ago, where they found nothing unusual. The radiator fan still works occasionally which makes me think its indeed an electrical issue rather than a complete fan motor failure. When the electric fan does kick in, the temperature drops back to normal pretty quickly. Based on your experience, I will have the wiring checked first before considering a full fan replacement. Good to know it might be a relatively affordable fix like in your case.

Thanks for the update. The symptoms you describe are nearly identical to what I experienced with my A3. The intermittent fan operation combined with quick temperature drops when the fan does work strongly points to an electrical connection issue, just like my case. In my situation, the electric fan motor itself was perfectly fine, it was just a damaged wire harness causing poor connectivity. These electrical gremlins in the cooling system can be tricky to spot during routine service checks, which explains why nothing unusual was found during your recent inspection. The fact that the engine cooling returns to normal when the fan operates confirms the rest of your cooling system is likely working properly. The fan clutch and other mechanical components are probably not the culprit here. Since my repair, Ive put on another 30000 KM without any overheating issues. The 95 Euro I spent on fixing the wiring connection was much better than replacing the entire fan motor assembly, which would have cost significantly more. Just make sure the workshop thoroughly checks all electrical connections to the fan motor, including the relay and fuse. Sometimes corrosion or vibration can cause these connections to become loose or damaged over time.

Your problem sounds exactly like what I was experiencing, thanks for those extra details about the service history and symptoms. Based on the way the temperature drops when the fan works, I agree its looking more like an electrical issue. Since theres no coolant leak and the issue started after the recent service found no problems, the electric fan wiring is the most logical starting point. Vehicle overheating in slow traffic is a classic sign of fan problems rather than other engine cooling issues. Im relieved to hear it might just need a wiring fix like in your case. The 95 Euro repair cost you mentioned is much more manageable than I was expecting. Will book it in next week to have the electrical connections checked first before considering anything more extensive with the fan motor or fan clutch. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it saved me from potentially spending way more than necessary on parts replacement. Will update the thread once I get it sorted in case others run into similar overheating problems.