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Audi S3: Water pump and thermostat housing coolant leak (8V S3 2.0 TFSI EA888 Gen3)

Water pump and thermostat housing coolant leak (8V S3 2.0 TFSI EA888 Gen3) is a common cooling fault on the Audi S3 on the 2013–2020 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 18 documented faults on the Audi S3.

Vehicle
Audi S3
Engine
2.0L
Years
2013–2020
Fuel
petrol
System
Cooling

This page covers the Audi S3 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Audi S3 faults18 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

An annotated photograph of an automotive engine thermostat identifying the wax capsule and both disc valves.Example of the part — not this vehicle

A double-valve engine thermostat, labelled: the wax capsule is what sticks.

Dougsim · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 2.0 TFSI EA888 Gen3 petrol in the 8V S3 has a water pump and thermostat housing module that commonly leaks coolant, either from the pump weep hole or from the plastic thermostat housing and its seal. Audi issued a service bulletin (TSB 2052657) covering coolant leaks on all EA888 Gen3 models, with separate repair codes for the pump and the housing. Left alone it drains coolant until the engine overheats. Any factory warranty on NZ cars of this age has expired.

What you would notice

  • Low coolant warning light
  • Sweet coolant smell after a drive
  • Pink or purple crust or drips under the engine on the gearbox side
  • Temperature gauge rising in traffic

How to check it

Where to look. Water pump and thermostat housing module at the back of the engine below the intake, gearbox side

  1. Open the bonnet with the engine cold and check the coolant reservoir is at the correct level, then use a phone torch to look down behind the engine on the gearbox side for pink crusty residue or wet patches.

  2. Look at the ground where the car is usually parked.

  3. Ask whether coolant has been topped up and whether the water pump or thermostat housing has been replaced.

  4. If a workshop inspection is possible: a cooling system pressure test will find a slow leak at the pump weep hole or housing seal.

Parts involved: Thermostat, Water pump.

What it costs to put right

$900 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the water pump or thermostat housing been replaced?”
  • “Do you have to top up the coolant?”
  • “Has the low coolant light ever come on?”

Now check the Audi S3 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Audi S3 buyer questions

Is water pump and thermostat housing coolant leak (8v s3 2.0 tfsi ea888 gen3) serious on a Audi S3?

We rate it major and common on the Audi S3. The 2.0 TFSI EA888 Gen3 petrol in the 8V S3 has a water pump and thermostat housing module that commonly leaks coolant, either from the pump weep hole or from the plastic thermostat housing and its seal. Audi issued a service bulletin (TSB 2052657) covering coolant leaks on all EA888 Gen3 models, with separate repair codes for the pump and the housing. Left alone it drains coolant until the engine overheats. Any factory warranty on NZ cars of this age has expired.

How much does it cost to fix on a Audi S3?

$900 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Audi S3 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2020 Audi S3. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Open the bonnet with the engine cold and check the coolant reservoir is at the correct level, then use a phone torch to look down behind the engine on the gearbox side for pink crusty residue or wet patches. Look at the ground where the car is usually parked. Ask whether coolant has been topped up and whether the water pump or thermostat housing has been replaced. If a workshop inspection is possible: a cooling system pressure test will find a slow leak at the pump weep hole or housing seal. Look here: Water pump and thermostat housing module at the back of the engine below the intake, gearbox side