V50 engine overheating and check engine light

Sounds plausible. The engine working harder and not reaching temp quickly could cause the other symptoms and illuminate your check engine light. Have you checked the fuse for the cooling grille? Some models have an electronically controlled grille. If the fuse is blown, that might be the culprit. Also, what does the temperature gauge actually read? Is it consistently low or erratic?

Thanks for the quick reply! I haven't checked the fuse; I didn't even know there was one for the grille. Where would I find that, and how would I tell if it's blown? As for the temperature gauge, it's mostly reading low, but it sometimes fluctuates a bit. I've also checked the coolant level, and that seems fine.

Since the temperature gauge reads low and fluctuates, a faulty thermostat could also be playing a role. While a fuse for the cooling grille is a possibility, given the fluctuating temperature, I'd lean more towards a thermostat issue coupled with a potential grille restriction. It's getting tricky to diagnose remotely. I advise taking it to a workshop to get it properly checked out.

You were right! Took it to the shop, and they said the cooling grille was indeed restricted, causing the engine to work harder. Also, the fuse was defective (cost: 52€). Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!