Poll: I4 Sand Contamination

[Rainier]

I4 customers should insist on a coolant flush to check for any signs of contamination as part of PPI.

 

[MajHall04]

Thanks for the advice! Did you have the same issue? Is it resolved for you?

Mine goes back to the dealer on the 19th the replace the second thermostat. I told them to properly flush or it will come back. They didn’t. If it faults again I might lemon it.

 

[seriously]

Mine goes back to the dealer on the 19th the replace the second thermostat. I told them to properly flush or it will come back. They didn’t. If it faults again I might lemon it.

I would not blame you if you did. The thermostat is the key symptom and you want to make it’s 100%.

 

[Stu]

Got CEL around 1300 Km, cleared itself.
CEL on again around 2500 Km. installed OBD checker found P2CEF error code.
Car currently at dealer in Montreal, awaiting update.

Car back after thermostat change and flush, went down East for 2000km tour with no more problems.

 

[MajHall04]

Car back after thermostat change and flush, went down East for 2000km tour with no more problems.

 

[MajHall04]

Got mine back on Wednesday after the second thermostat change and flush. 200 miles so far no issues.

 

[Blue131]

Is there a general consensus on how many miles it takes for this issue to appear if your car is impacted? Wondering if after a certain point it would be safe to say you're in the clear? Definitely planning to put some miles on mine, but with it being a third car it won't see a ton of mileage and wanting to make sure I surface this issue before the warranty expires if applicable

 

[testplan.exe]

Is there a general consensus on how many miles it takes for this issue to appear if your car is impacted? Wondering if after a certain point it would be safe to say you're in the clear? Definitely planning to put some miles on mine, but with it being a third car it won't see a ton of mileage and wanting to make sure I surface this issue before the warranty expires if applicable

Usually under 300 miles.

 

[ToonFan]

Is there a general consensus on how many miles it takes for this issue to appear if your car is impacted? Wondering if after a certain point it would be safe to say you're in the clear? Definitely planning to put some miles on mine, but with it being a third car it won't see a ton of mileage and wanting to make sure I surface this issue before the warranty expires if applicable

Mine came on literally 12 miles past the break-in period. Both thermostats replaced and multiple flushes. 8000 miles since- no issue.

 

[F1 SML8R]

If you understand the problem, it's logical to think that symptoms will appear fairly early in the car's lifecycle. As a recap, the problem is residual sand that is left hardened in the block and was not "power washed" out as part of the block manufacturing/finishing process. Eventually, as a result of coolant recirculation, it gets dislodged and clogs thermostats, water pumps, etc. If the residual amount is high, you will see the problem symptoms right away.

Obviously, there's a chance that even small amounts of residual sand over the years combines with other wear and tear contaminants to clog. However, if you have this problem, it's likely chronic and will show up sooner than later.