I have 2004 Maxima (195k). I think the water pump needs to be replaced but I'm not quite sure yet and would rather not get into it if the problem is something else.

With the coolant system full I can drive the car for as long as I want but then when I drive it again a few hours later suddenly the temp skyrockets and it overflows as soon as I turn it off. There doesn't seem to be any leaks. It seems to overflow from the overflow tank.

Could this be a clogging issue? Or a thermostat issue? Or trapped air problem? Anyone else seen these symptoms?

 

New thermostat seems to have fixed the issue but I will keep an eye on it over the next week or so and update.