I ran into a little overheating problem 2 weeks ago when the car started overheating while on a highway. I heard bubling sounds coming from the dashboard and I got a check engine light and thought it was maf or o2 sensor related, and did not check the temp guage. It turned out to be an "engine temperature too high" error code. I pulled over just in time when my coolant started boiling out. Little by little I made it back to bk and went straight to my mechanic who said it was either thermostat or water pump. To make long story short, it was neither. I went home that day with a new thermostat and coolant flushed 2 times and car still overheating. After a search of the forums, I found a few threads that mention partially clogged radiator being the culprit. I figured I'd rather replace the rad than the water pump and went ahead and ordered one from radiatorbarn.com (~130 with shipping). Took it back to the shop, mechs were really skeptical about my idea, but replaced it anyway. Since Friday, the 7th, the car runs stably at 195.5F under all load conditions

 

glad you figured it out. exact same thing happened to me.

lesson learned: flush your radiator once a year!!!!!

 

Same problem here...got the car back on Saturday after they replaced the radiator...The funny thing is I flushed that bad boy every year...Go figure!?!?!?!

 

does the adverse weathers of the east coast have something to do with this?

I tell people I flush mine out every year too...but most people think I'm overkill cuz of the Cali weather...what do you guys think?

 

I have flushed mine once... Year and a half ago, and I don't have this problem at all.

But the way things go for me it will overheat the next time I drive it...

 

I don't think exterior weather conditions have much to do with the inside of the closed loop of the cooling system. Flushing it can never hurt you, keep up what you're doing. Knock on wood, my cooling system is 100% original at 230,000 miles and has endured 11 northeastern winters.

 

I believe the flushing that might've caused it for me. After I had a flush I got all sorts of rust and crap in the coolant. I beleive it was the rust and varnish from the walls of the radiator that came off during the flush and it eventually clogged up the tiny passages in the radiator.