Car overheating...STOP

[JoshV]

Hi all,
Car just came up with the message car overheating, STOP. The temperature was 3/4 of the way round and it was while I was crawling through traffic. Had a quick look and the coolant is very hot under the bonnet and is sitting above the max level. Any ideas as to a quick fix that may be causing it? Thanks guys

 

[Willis]

Fan? Check it's working/engaging at the right time.

Unfortunately I don't know how you could check that without letting the car sit there and get hot again though...

 

[JoshV]

I will try and get it warm again, but can't remember hearing the fan when I got out... I let it cool down and it hasn't come up again yet but I did only drive 3 miles to work. The temperature was constantly going up and down either side of the middle line- it was going slightly above in traffic, and going down when I was driving.

 

[Crezzy]

It's going down when you're driving because you are getting cold air under the bonnet. Next time if it does it check the engine coolant level, might be a split pipe letting air in.

 

[ghost.197]

Could also be a dodgy thermostat (to Willis' point).

 

[Tom]

I know this isn't helpful (sorry), but just a warning: Be very careful - my headgasket went once due to overheating not being addressed in time.

 

[JoshV]

I know this isn't helpful (sorry), but just a warning: Be very careful - my headgasket went once due to overheating not being addressed in time.

Yeh I will be sorting it tonight as there must be something wrong somewhere whether the problem disappears or not!

 

[JoshV]

Could also be a dodgy thermostat (to Willis' point).

That's what I thought potentially it may be where it was changing quite a bit and going cooler than the middle line

 

[mdking]

Josh,

I have a OBD reader that we could pug in to the car? It might of stored a fault?

 

[JoshV]

It's going down when you're driving because you are getting cold air under the bonnet. Next time if it does it check the engine coolant level, might be a split pipe letting air in.

The level was fine yesterday and having left the car for a couple of hours has now gone to the max line, so if there was a split I would have thought I would have lost fluid and noticed yesterday?

 

[JoshV]

Josh,

I have a OBD reader that we could pug in to the car? It might of stored a fault?

I will have a look tonight and may give you a shout tomorrow if I can't get it sorted. Cheers

 

[Crezzy]

Yes. Could be another pipe that could be dragging air in which shouldn't be. Does sound more like a sensor though. Be careful

 

[JoshV]

Yes. Could be another pipe that could be dragging air in which shouldn't be. Does sound more like a sensor though. Be careful

Thanks for the help! Hopefully it will be ok on the way home, the coolant level is still at maximum, so I haven't lost any as yet

 

[JoshV]

Going back to Willis' point earlier about the fan; I can't remember hearing it when I stopped when it was overheating, could it potentially be the relay for the fan that's gone? This may also explain why it was in the traffic that it overheated but once I got moving it went back to normal. Without it getting hot again I can't tell if the fan kicks in

 

[Willis]

The only other thing I can think of (apart from ODB) is get a multiemeter or whatever they're called and start the car from cold and check that there's power going to the fan itself? Or, just double check that all of your fuses and relays are as they should be incase one has popped or worked its way loose.

I wouldn't recommend letting it get hot again though. I hope it's a simple fix mate.

 

[JoshV]

Thank god it was a simple fix! The switch to the fuse had come out for the fan. It didn't get hot again earlier, it was obviously just when i was in traffic it wasn't getting cool enough because the fan was off cheers for all your help guys!!

 

[Willis]

Ah good, glad it wasn't anything major!!!

 

[JoshV]

Ah good, glad it wasn't anything major!!!

So am I!! And it won't cost me a penny which is good when I need to do full brakes and cambelt changes in the next couple of months! Thanks for your help!

 

[Willis]

No worries mate.

 

[ZorkoRS197]

Thank god it was a simple fix! The switch to the fuse had come out for the fan. It didn't get hot again earlier, it was obviously just when i was in traffic it wasn't getting cool enough because the fan was off cheers for all your help guys!!

Hello I'm having the same issue as you do coud you please tell me where is this switch located?