2003 Jetta GLS overheating
 

Hi,
Newbie here, so bear with me.
My wife just returned from shopping, and said that the temperature indicator and a 'water' indicator showed up on her dashboard. I know there is a red thermometer-looking indicator, but I am not aware of any low-water indicator.
Anyway, i went out to the garage and started the car.
The temperature gauge stayed at the normal 190 degree mark for about 10 minutes. The radiator fans were not spinning either.
I then gave the car a little gas to increase the engine rpms, and I could see the temp gauge rise toward 260 degrees. The radiator fans starting spinning at that time.
To avoid any engine damage, I shut the car off and checked the engine compartment.
I could hear gurgling noises, like the coolant was boiling.
I could not see any evident leaks, and check all cooling hoses that I could see.
I am thinking that it may be a stuck thermostat.
Any ideas or recommenations?
Is it easy to replace a thermostat on these cars? I have some basic mechanical experience, and do not want to bring it to a shop right now, because I am unemployed at the moment.

Thanks!

RE: 2003 Jetta GLS overheating
 

probably the water pump
they have plastic impellers on them
with the car coold down pull the small hose to the resivor bottle off and have her start the car see if the coolant flows out of the hose
if it dosnt the pump is bad
if it does rev it up a little and see if it flows faster or stops flowing
if it stops flowing the impeller has just started to come apart

RE: 2003 Jetta GLS overheating
 

I had the same problem...it was the impeller to the water pump

2003 Jetta VR6
 

Newbie as well. Just came across this post on a search and seems to be similar to a problem that my sister is having with her 2003 Jetta VR6.

She lives in AZ and recently with the warmer temperatures out side if she is driving around and turns on the AC, she said that her temperature gauge starts rising.

It seems that only the passenger side fan in the front of the vehicle is ever running. I have yet to ever see the driver side spinning. Should both of these be running?

After reading your replies I wondered if the water pump could be bad. So I tried pulling the hose off the top of the reservoir to see if coolant flowed out. With the car started and the engine @ 190 according to the temp gauge nothing flowed out. If the accelerated is d-pressed then coolant does comes out a little but as soon as the accelerator is released nothing again. Should coolant be flowing constantly when the engine is at 190?

Thanks,

Hiller