Bit by the overheating bug
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,361
Likes: 4,802
From: West Burbs of Chicago IL
Bit by the overheating bug
Sooooooo, on the way home after some "spirited" but local street driving, the DIC flashed a message about "engine overheating" & "limp mode" plus service engine light icon came on. 
I'm paraphrasing, because I was Sh**ing a brick, and I didn't get a picture of the DIC.
This occurred after driving for only 5 minutes. Air temp was only 79 degrees and I had 10,125 miles on the car. Two hard turns and hard (but not WOT) acceleration in between, and after the third turn I got the DIC warnings and the car went limp. Luckily, I was on a back industrial road and pulled off and did a U turn to stay away from main roads. Man, that would be crazy scary at speed with other cars around on the track.
My Vette drove like it was powered by 2 cylinders, with maybe no power steering. Very sluggish. I went to cross an intersection with oncoming traffic and I was concerned it wasn't going to make it across. Sincerely.
I pulled into a parking lot and sat in the shade and turned the car off. After five minutes it restarted. Normal engine power but engine light remains.
So looks like I have a visit to the dealer in my future. Is there's something they need to reset, since the engine light remains?
I'm paraphrasing, because I was Sh**ing a brick, and I didn't get a picture of the DIC.
This occurred after driving for only 5 minutes. Air temp was only 79 degrees and I had 10,125 miles on the car. Two hard turns and hard (but not WOT) acceleration in between, and after the third turn I got the DIC warnings and the car went limp. Luckily, I was on a back industrial road and pulled off and did a U turn to stay away from main roads. Man, that would be crazy scary at speed with other cars around on the track.
My Vette drove like it was powered by 2 cylinders, with maybe no power steering. Very sluggish. I went to cross an intersection with oncoming traffic and I was concerned it wasn't going to make it across. Sincerely.
I pulled into a parking lot and sat in the shade and turned the car off. After five minutes it restarted. Normal engine power but engine light remains.
So looks like I have a visit to the dealer in my future. Is there's something they need to reset, since the engine light remains?
Last edited by Big Lebowski; Jun 27, 2017 at 11:30 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,361
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From: West Burbs of Chicago IL
2016 a8
Awesome.
Awesome.
Last edited by Steve Garrett; Jul 2, 2017 at 06:13 PM. Reason: Merged Posts-please use the Multi-Quote button (the middle icon) in the lower right hand corner of each post to make your responses look like this!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2015
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Just from a physics standpoint, if you have a real mechanical problem it just doesn't go away by turning the car off and restarting...the car would have overheated again.
Could have been a glitch (unless you are able to somehow measure the actual water/oil temps to verify the computer is correct) or there is a computer/sensor problem.
I wouldn't stress about it at all and let the dealer check out the system, it is probably something very minor.
Just my 2 cents on the issue.
Could have been a glitch (unless you are able to somehow measure the actual water/oil temps to verify the computer is correct) or there is a computer/sensor problem.
I wouldn't stress about it at all and let the dealer check out the system, it is probably something very minor.
Just my 2 cents on the issue.
Drifting
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Race Director
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From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
Weird. I've got a 2016 A8 and drive pretty spirited on the street from time-to-time and have never had an overheating issue. I have noticed that if I drive in the "manual" mode, my engine temp goes up about 20 degrees or so.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: West Burbs of Chicago IL
Hope so...goes in to the dealer in about an hour.
Last edited by Steve Garrett; Jul 2, 2017 at 06:13 PM. Reason: Merged Posts-please use the Multi-Quote button (the middle icon) in the lower right hand corner of each post to make your responses look like this!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Dallas Georgia
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The car does not normally overheat in 5 minutes, not on a track, and certainly not on the street. You have something wrong, even if just a low coolant level.
Last edited by fleming23; Jun 28, 2017 at 08:14 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,841
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From: chair
So you've got one of the models that overheats, then.... it did!
I don't think sitting in the shade is the best way to cool off an engine..
Not sure what the dealer is gonna do. "Well, it's not hot now is it?? Then you're good!" Maybe clear the code and joyride it for a bit..
I don't think sitting in the shade is the best way to cool off an engine..
Not sure what the dealer is gonna do. "Well, it's not hot now is it?? Then you're good!" Maybe clear the code and joyride it for a bit..
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Texas Hill Country
I never saw you post the actual coolant temp while this was happening? 250? 280? 200?
If it happened with normal coolant temp 190-220 range, then it's not an "overheating bug" at all but an electrical/software glitch.
If it happened with normal coolant temp 190-220 range, then it's not an "overheating bug" at all but an electrical/software glitch.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Springfield MO
For what ever reason, the car though it was overheating(and it well may have been heading in that direction, if not already there) and put the driver in a serious situation as the car basically shut itself off. That can lead to serious problems in traffic, etc, on a public high speed highway.
Not the first, and I doubt the last, we have heard of this problem manifesting itself with the 2015/2016 Z06. Seems I heard that there is a class action lawsuit against GM for this problem.
Last edited by JoesC5; Jun 28, 2017 at 09:17 AM.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: San Jose California
Joe,
There are a few different scenarios that people are lumping together.
1. The lawsuit is about a design issue (and components are working as designed) and car overheats when pushed. This usually only happens on the road course with an A8 Z06.
2. A different issue is failure of a component causing an actual overheat condition; broken water pump, bad thermostat, leak, and etc.
3. The first two issues will show a warning as indicated in this thread. A third issue, which does not show a warning on the dash is a mis-performing intercooler circuit (Charge Air Cooling/CAC) which will de-rate power but will not show a warning message on the DIC. This issue can happen for a variety of reasons; low on intercooler coolant causing cavitation and intercooler pump shutdown.
Higgs was trying to troubleshoot the issue to determine what the cause is since it is probably situation #2 a faulty component.
If your car overheats on the street in 1-2 pulls to 150MPH. Then you have a bad component.
There are a few different scenarios that people are lumping together.
1. The lawsuit is about a design issue (and components are working as designed) and car overheats when pushed. This usually only happens on the road course with an A8 Z06.
2. A different issue is failure of a component causing an actual overheat condition; broken water pump, bad thermostat, leak, and etc.
3. The first two issues will show a warning as indicated in this thread. A third issue, which does not show a warning on the dash is a mis-performing intercooler circuit (Charge Air Cooling/CAC) which will de-rate power but will not show a warning message on the DIC. This issue can happen for a variety of reasons; low on intercooler coolant causing cavitation and intercooler pump shutdown.
Higgs was trying to troubleshoot the issue to determine what the cause is since it is probably situation #2 a faulty component.
If your car overheats on the street in 1-2 pulls to 150MPH. Then you have a bad component.
"the DIC flashed a message about "engine overheating" & "limp mode" plus service engine light icon came on" says it all. A new car shouldn't do that unless there is a problem with that particular car.
For what ever reason, the car though it was overheating(and it well may have been heading in that direction, if not already there) and put the driver in a serious situation as the car basically shut itself off. That can lead to serious problems in traffic, etc, on a public high speed highway.
Not the first, and I doubt the last, we have heard of this problem manifesting itself with the 2015/2016 Z06. Seems I heard that there is a class action lawsuit against GM for this problem.
For what ever reason, the car though it was overheating(and it well may have been heading in that direction, if not already there) and put the driver in a serious situation as the car basically shut itself off. That can lead to serious problems in traffic, etc, on a public high speed highway.
Not the first, and I doubt the last, we have heard of this problem manifesting itself with the 2015/2016 Z06. Seems I heard that there is a class action lawsuit against GM for this problem.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 105
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From: San Antonio/Houston Texas
I have noticed the same thing on my 16 A8 also, good to know I am not the only one.
Last edited by AdamV; Jun 28, 2017 at 09:39 AM.
Race Director
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From: Bluffton SC via Canton Oh
With all due respect I don't believe what you experienced is a design flaw; there is something else going on with the car that can be fixed. The conditions you described are not extreme. Could be low coolant, the water pump air in the supercharger but you were not pushing the car hard.
I had an overheating issue on the track and the DIC said to stop and idle the engine. That makes more sense then shutting down assuming all systems are working. You got a different message so I suspect there is a specific fixable problem.
Lets not run around saying the sky is falling when cars overheat everyday for various fixable mechanical problems
I had an overheating issue on the track and the DIC said to stop and idle the engine. That makes more sense then shutting down assuming all systems are working. You got a different message so I suspect there is a specific fixable problem.
Lets not run around saying the sky is falling when cars overheat everyday for various fixable mechanical problems
Last edited by Greg00Coupe; Jun 28, 2017 at 10:00 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Dallas Georgia
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Over heating isn't always about a design flaw and some times loss of performance on the track isn't about over heating but may well be blamed on over heating due to all of the experts beating the drums about heat soak. Same goes for limp home. The OP describes a true limp home situation where the car barely had enough power to move. Other people think limp home when there is a power loss. At the NCM event I started having a power loss that was intermittent for a number of sessions and then went totally away. Even with the power loss the car was capable of hitting 139 mph vs its normal 152. That is far from a limp home situation. Driving around town it wouldn't have even been noticed.
If people have a problem they should define exactly what happened and under what conditions, what the instruments read (and any warning messages), how long it lasted and how bad the impact on performance was. If the gauges are set on the Tour Setting it only takes a second to glance across all the readings and see what they are.
Bill
If people have a problem they should define exactly what happened and under what conditions, what the instruments read (and any warning messages), how long it lasted and how bad the impact on performance was. If the gauges are set on the Tour Setting it only takes a second to glance across all the readings and see what they are.
Bill