Thermostat V6 TDI

Hello guys!
'On my A4 2.5 TDI, the heater and radiator remain cold. Additionally, the temperature gauge rises quickly when driving at higher speeds. It definitely smells like a faulty thermostat. I've heard that to replace it, you have to remove the front of the radiator and the timing belt! Is that true? Is there a simpler solution?' I need to see if I can find a repair manual somewhere.

Thank you for your tips!

Best regards,
Micha

Hi Micha...

Oh oh... I really feel sorry for you right now. It's probably definitely the thermostat. You're going to have to 'strip' it, meaning remove it, from the front... it's located relatively low down at the front of the engine, next to the water pump. The castle support must be removed, and the holder for the viscous fan must also be removed.
I recently had to replace my power steering pump, almost the same procedure... it was a real pain .

Well... have fun.

Hello Vikings,
Thank you for the response. Do you know if the timing belt needs to be removed in order to replace the thermostat?

It's always the same thing: whenever the motorcycle isn't working, the car breaks down too!

Best regards,
Micha

The large belt can stay in place, but only the small belt from the diesel pump needs to be removed. The tensioner for this is attached to the viscous fan holder.