Technical Service Bulletin
01 MIL on (DTC P2181 - Cooling system performance)
01 14 88 2038045/1 August 15, 2014.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

S6, S7

2013 - 2014

All

4.0T

RS 7

2014

All

4.0T

S8

2013 - 2014

All

4.0T

A8

2013 - 2014

All

4.0T

Condition
• MIL on.
• DTC P218100 (Cooling System Performance) is stored in the engine control module (ECM), J623 (address
word 01).

Technical Background
DTC P218100 will be stored if, after a specified air flow (warm-up phase), the measured engine temperature does
not reach the value in the timing map. Particles in the cooling system from the production process affect the
closing of the coolant thermostat.
Note:
Replacing the coolant temperature sender does not fix the problem.

Production Solution
Optimized coolant thermostat.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 1 of 4

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Service
1. Flush out the cooling system (doing so will help prevent repeat repairs):
• First, drain the complete coolant system according to the repair manual, including removal of the coolant
thermostat housing.
• Next, fit the old coolant thermostat housing and fill the cooling system with the correct coolant mixture, as
listed in the repair manual.
• Next, warm up the engine at idle speed. When the big coolant circuit is open, put the heating on maximum.
Run the engine for an additional 10 minutes at idle.
• Finally, drain the complete coolant system according to the repair manual, again.
2. Replace the coolant thermostat F265 with part number 079121115BD.
3. Fill the new coolant additive in the cooling system according to manufacturer guidelines. Observe the mixture
ratio and filling-up procedure.
Note:
Only mix distilled water with coolant additives. Distilled water provides optimum corrosion protection.
Note:
The filling procedure outlined in Elsa must be followed. It is important that the vacuum-down, filling, and bleeding
processes for the specific vehicle being repaired are used.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 2 of 4

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Warranty
Claim Type:

Use applicable claim type. If vehicle is outside any warranty, this Technical Service Bulletin
is informational only.

Service Number:

1958

Damage Code:

0016

Labor Operations:

Coolant drain + fill

1938 1700

160 TU

Thermostat remove + reinstall (S6, S7, S8, A8 4.0TFSI)

1958 1999

300 TU

Thermostat remove + reinstall (RS 7)

1958 1999

330 TU

GFF – Checking and clearing fault codes included in
existing labor operations

0150 0000

10 TU

Road test prior to service procedure

No allowance

0 TU

Road test after service procedure

0121 0004

10 TU

Diagnostic Time:

Technical diagnosis at dealer’s discretion
(Refer to Section 2.2.1.2 and Audi Warranty Online for DADP allowance details)
Claim Comment:

As per TSB # 2038045/1

All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures
Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.

Required Parts and Tools
Part Number

Part Description

Quantity

079121115BD

Map controlled engine cooling thermostat F265

1

G 01A8JM1

Coolant additive

See Elsa

Outside material

Distilled water (obtain locally)

As needed (Max $10.00)

Tool Number

Tool Description

VAS 6096

Cooling System Charge Unit

VAG 1974/8

Adapter

VAG 1978/10

Adapter

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 3 of 4

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
VAS 6208

Drip tray

T10007A

Refractometer

Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2038045) are subject to change and/or removal. Always
check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 4 of 4

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.