Over the last few weeks I've had some problems with the car getting hot, but only when the car is standing in traffic or in park with the engine on. It hasn't "overheated," I've always shut it off before it got too hot. While I'm actively driving, the dash temp guage never shows it's hot. No steam has come from the car (a VERY good thing that hasn't happened). It started when I was driving in a tropical storm, went away for the last 2 weeks, and it's back with a vengence this weekend (been doing a lot of driving in downtown atlanta with the parents in town). I'm still not sure if its a general electrical problem or a thermostat issue.

Tonight it got really hot, really fast while in park with the engine running. Within 2 minutes the gauge went from the middle to hot, and the engine was really hot when I shut it off and popped the hood. When I let it cool down awhile and restarted the engine. After this trip (driven with the heat on) the engine was cooler when I stopped again than when I restarted the engine.

Could this be a short in the electrical system or is it jus that the thermostat is shot?

-Jeff

 

Could be the thermostat. Could be the fans-are they running? Could be the radiator is plugged with gunk and not flowing well. When was the last time it was flushed and refilled?

 

Probably the thermostat if you're sure the fans are turning on. I just replaced mine today. It's not too hard.

 

fans - they run last I checked (day after it first happen, I've heard them click on.

radiator - it had never been done, therefore I figured it was too late to get it done for the first time or leaks would develop in the radiator.

my other guess was the water pump was shot and not circulating the fluid properly.

-Jeff

 

Doesn't the thrermostat control the fans (and temp guage) as well?
Wouldn't the fans not turn on at all? Or is the thermostat just controlling the fluid in the engine, and since its shot, the same fluid remains in the engine and the radiator and fans are doing doing jack to cool the engine?

-Jeff

 

The themostat is a mechanical device that when it reaches a certain temperature it opens up and allows water to circulate through the system. It doesn't control the fans.

 

looks like i'm getting the thermostat replaced monday (and maybe the water pump while i'm at it).

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

-Jeff

 

Its proably your thermostat or water pump. But make sure your fans come on by opening the hood and visually seeing that they do work. On my max it was the wire at the temp connector was broken and one fan relay was bad. Good luck, also if your are doing the water pump you should consider doing your timing belt. Also a way to check if your fans are working is to turn on the A/C both fans should come on at the same time.

 

Hi all, to troubleshoot this issue I would recommend you to check the pipe that takes the coolant from the radiator back into the engine, that would be the right one (drivers side) if it is not too hot when the engine gets hot and the fan starts to run then it’s the thermostat. On the other hand, if you see some leakage somewhere near the water pump pulley or have some noise from that pulley it could be the water pump, if you want to check it, just take out the belt and see if it spins freely, if it hardly spins then you have a faulty water pump. I had the same issue a month ago, it was the thermostat which wouldn’t open and it blew my radiator, I also checked the water pump and it was in good order.

 

A nnew thermostat is like 5$ and takes maybe 45 minutes to replace.

 

where?? it's like $20

 

Well I have been dealing with this same problem for the past 3 months, i have changed the thermostat and in my case it didnt help. Its very weird becuase i get the coolant system flushed and refilled and no problems for like a month, then it starts getting hot again, system has been pressure checked for leaks and no problems there. My only other thought is that its the water pump, but why would it be ok when gettting the system flushed and refilled for a while and then go back to HOT. Im not fixing mine becuase it just has to hold out 2 more weeks till motor swap is under way but like i said i replaced my thermostat and that didnt fix it, and water pump is $$, so good luck.