Overheating Issues; Need Advice
06-26-2014, 09:13 AM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 208
Overheating Issues; Need Advice
Hello Everyone,
I am having major issues with my car. As a reminder, I have a 2007 with 108k miles and I am the only owner. Let me break down what has been going on in chronological order.
1. April 2013, my a/c stops working. So I take it to a shop that checks it out and says it just needs to be recharged. So I get that done and my a/c works again.
2. Over the next two months the a/c stops working about 5 times. Each time I take it back to the repair shop and they recharge it for free. They also do one UV dye test and they determine there are zero leaks in the system.
3. August 2013, a/c is not working again. This time I just buy a $50 recharge kit from an auto parts store. I notice there is a weird sound coming from my engine. I look at it and notice one of the pulleys engages for about 30 seconds and then stops and makes a whining sound. I take a video and upload it here and everyone pretty much agrees that it is an a/c issue. I try the kit and use about the whole can. The noise goes away and a/c is back.
4. October 2013, I don’t need a/c anymore so I don’t recharge it.
5. November 2013, I take my car to a Ford dealership to get some winter tires thrown on. While there they do the basic look over and determine the water pump is leaking badly. They recommend a new water pump and flush the radiator. I decline because it was like $1200 on top of the already $700 in winter tires.
6. May 2014, I need a/c so I get another recharge kit. I use it and the a/c is back.
7. May 2014, I go on a road trip which I have taken many times before. It is a 1,000 mile round trip. On the way there, I encounter no issues. While on my trip the weather was amazing. So I detailed the car including the engine compartment. I check the fluids and notice the radiator overflow tank is bone dry. Inside all I can see is dried up debris. So I get radiator fluid but wait to put it in since the engine was hot. Next morning, I check and it is still bone dry so I put in the new fluid. It takes about 3 /4 the bottle.
After two days on my trip I check the fluids again. And again the radiator over flow tank is bone dry.
8. June 2014, yesterday I was on the beltway (8 lanes of traffic on each side). I am in the furthest left lane in stopped traffic. We have been 0 – 2mph for about 15 minutes. It is 90 degrees outside and I have the a/c cranked. All of a sudden the car does a little shake. I look down at the gauges and the temp gauge is going towards the HOT side. I start freaking out. I turn off the a/c which stops the gauge at the 3 /4 mark. I start trying to get over to the furthest right lane since that is where the only shoulder is located. While getting over every time I press the gas the temp gauge sky rockets to 4 /4 HOT.
Now I am in the furthest right lane. I have stabilized the temp at the 3 /4 mark by using barely any gas and no a/c. About 10 minutes goes by and traffic opens up. The flow of traffic is now at about 60 mph. I am barely cruising at 55 mph. The temp starts going down and is back to the normal mark. I am about 35 minutes away from my destination. I get off the beltway and go to the nearest gas station and get radiator fluid. I am in an area I am not familiar with. Before getting to the gas station even on the smaller streets the car is back to the temp sky rocketing every time I give it gas over 2,000 rpm. I get to a gas station and use the entire jug of fluid.
I leave and the temp is back to normal. I can give it gas and use a/c with no issues. I get to me destination fine. And on the way back to my home from the destination I have no issues.
But now I am freaking out that something major is going on with my car. I have read things about the water pump leaking fluid onto hot pipes. This could explain why I don’t see fluids in my driveway. Another thing I read about the radiator fluid is the possible chance of having a blown head gasket.
Anyway, I am leaving today for a 10 day trip today and I am very worried about my car. About whether or not it will over heat fully or the engine breaks.
Can anyone please try and point me in the right direction. Does anyone know what these symptoms could mean?
I am having major issues with my car. As a reminder, I have a 2007 with 108k miles and I am the only owner. Let me break down what has been going on in chronological order.
1. April 2013, my a/c stops working. So I take it to a shop that checks it out and says it just needs to be recharged. So I get that done and my a/c works again.
2. Over the next two months the a/c stops working about 5 times. Each time I take it back to the repair shop and they recharge it for free. They also do one UV dye test and they determine there are zero leaks in the system.
3. August 2013, a/c is not working again. This time I just buy a $50 recharge kit from an auto parts store. I notice there is a weird sound coming from my engine. I look at it and notice one of the pulleys engages for about 30 seconds and then stops and makes a whining sound. I take a video and upload it here and everyone pretty much agrees that it is an a/c issue. I try the kit and use about the whole can. The noise goes away and a/c is back.
4. October 2013, I don’t need a/c anymore so I don’t recharge it.
5. November 2013, I take my car to a Ford dealership to get some winter tires thrown on. While there they do the basic look over and determine the water pump is leaking badly. They recommend a new water pump and flush the radiator. I decline because it was like $1200 on top of the already $700 in winter tires.
6. May 2014, I need a/c so I get another recharge kit. I use it and the a/c is back.
7. May 2014, I go on a road trip which I have taken many times before. It is a 1,000 mile round trip. On the way there, I encounter no issues. While on my trip the weather was amazing. So I detailed the car including the engine compartment. I check the fluids and notice the radiator overflow tank is bone dry. Inside all I can see is dried up debris. So I get radiator fluid but wait to put it in since the engine was hot. Next morning, I check and it is still bone dry so I put in the new fluid. It takes about 3 /4 the bottle.
After two days on my trip I check the fluids again. And again the radiator over flow tank is bone dry.
8. June 2014, yesterday I was on the beltway (8 lanes of traffic on each side). I am in the furthest left lane in stopped traffic. We have been 0 – 2mph for about 15 minutes. It is 90 degrees outside and I have the a/c cranked. All of a sudden the car does a little shake. I look down at the gauges and the temp gauge is going towards the HOT side. I start freaking out. I turn off the a/c which stops the gauge at the 3 /4 mark. I start trying to get over to the furthest right lane since that is where the only shoulder is located. While getting over every time I press the gas the temp gauge sky rockets to 4 /4 HOT.
Now I am in the furthest right lane. I have stabilized the temp at the 3 /4 mark by using barely any gas and no a/c. About 10 minutes goes by and traffic opens up. The flow of traffic is now at about 60 mph. I am barely cruising at 55 mph. The temp starts going down and is back to the normal mark. I am about 35 minutes away from my destination. I get off the beltway and go to the nearest gas station and get radiator fluid. I am in an area I am not familiar with. Before getting to the gas station even on the smaller streets the car is back to the temp sky rocketing every time I give it gas over 2,000 rpm. I get to a gas station and use the entire jug of fluid.
I leave and the temp is back to normal. I can give it gas and use a/c with no issues. I get to me destination fine. And on the way back to my home from the destination I have no issues.
But now I am freaking out that something major is going on with my car. I have read things about the water pump leaking fluid onto hot pipes. This could explain why I don’t see fluids in my driveway. Another thing I read about the radiator fluid is the possible chance of having a blown head gasket.
Anyway, I am leaving today for a 10 day trip today and I am very worried about my car. About whether or not it will over heat fully or the engine breaks.
Can anyone please try and point me in the right direction. Does anyone know what these symptoms could mean?
06-26-2014, 09:37 AM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CA
Posts: 202
No way would I take that car on a 10-day trip with that going on. The dealer already told you there was a water pump leak, sounds to me like it's gotten worse. Also the overheating at low speeds but not on the highway makes me think your electric fans aren't working. Could you have knocked the plug loose when detailing under the hood? You didn't describe your detailing work, but if you used a pressure washer, you could have some short circuits / blown fuses going on.
As regards to the AC, you obviously have a leak there. All that refrigerant your adding has to be going somewhere. Your dealer must have failed to locate the leak when they checked it.
I would fix the WP and AC before worrying about much more. If you continue driving you're eventually going to end up in a situation that does more damage than there may already be.
Get a rental car for your trip - seriously.
As regards to the AC, you obviously have a leak there. All that refrigerant your adding has to be going somewhere. Your dealer must have failed to locate the leak when they checked it.
I would fix the WP and AC before worrying about much more. If you continue driving you're eventually going to end up in a situation that does more damage than there may already be.
Get a rental car for your trip - seriously.
06-26-2014, 09:44 AM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 208
No way would I take that car on a 10-day trip with that going on. The dealer already told you there was a water pump leak, sounds to me like it's gotten worse. Also the overheating at low speeds but not on the highway makes me think your electric fans aren't working. Could you have knocked the plug loose when detailing under the hood? You didn't describe your detailing work, but if you used a pressure washer, you could have some short circuits / blown fuses going on.
As regards to the AC, you obviously have a leak there. All that refrigerant your adding has to be going somewhere. Your dealer must have failed to locate the leak when they checked it.
I would fix the WP and AC before worrying about much more. If you continue driving you're eventually going to end up in a situation that does more damage than there may already be.
Get a rental car for your trip - seriously.
As regards to the AC, you obviously have a leak there. All that refrigerant your adding has to be going somewhere. Your dealer must have failed to locate the leak when they checked it.
I would fix the WP and AC before worrying about much more. If you continue driving you're eventually going to end up in a situation that does more damage than there may already be.
Get a rental car for your trip - seriously.
For the engine cleaning, I used engine cleaner and polish. To wash off the cleaner I used a standard hose.
06-26-2014, 11:45 AM
#4
I replaced the water pump on my 06 and it turns out it was the thermostat housing that was the problem all along. Not hard to replace at all, while it was opened up I went ahead and replaced the thermostat as well.
06-26-2014, 11:59 AM
#5
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 11,278
How old are you? Is this a joke?
$1200 to change a water pump? That's ridiculous.
Change the water pump yourself, should be even easier now since you probably have no coolant.
$1200 to change a water pump? That's ridiculous.
Change the water pump yourself, should be even easier now since you probably have no coolant.
Last edited by moosestang; 06-26-2014 at 12:01 PM.
06-27-2014, 10:30 AM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,486
Maybe he's trying to confirm his faith in God....you KNOW you have a coolant leak, but you still drive the car, no less on a 1000mile trip, UNREAL!
Keep driving it, next you'll need a head gasket, and if you're lucky, maybe a new engine!
PS. There are online manuals for you car....replace the water pump ASAP, then worry about the AC. Open the freaking window!
Keep driving it, next you'll need a head gasket, and if you're lucky, maybe a new engine!
PS. There are online manuals for you car....replace the water pump ASAP, then worry about the AC. Open the freaking window!
06-27-2014, 04:35 PM
#7
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 208
Maybe he's trying to confirm his faith in God....you KNOW you have a coolant leak, but you still drive the car, no less on a 1000mile trip, UNREAL!
Keep driving it, next you'll need a head gasket, and if you're lucky, maybe a new engine!
PS. There are online manuals for you car....replace the water pump ASAP, then worry about the AC. Open the freaking window!
Keep driving it, next you'll need a head gasket, and if you're lucky, maybe a new engine!
PS. There are online manuals for you car....replace the water pump ASAP, then worry about the AC. Open the freaking window!
Where can I find the online manuals?
06-27-2014, 04:40 PM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 208
The dealership said the water pump was like $600, $300 for labor, and like $250 for a radiator flush.
06-30-2014, 07:43 AM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Kansas
Posts: 240
Find another shop to get your water pump replaced. Don't continue to drive or you will blow a head gasket from overheating. $250 for a radiator flush? You've got to be kidding! $600 for a water pump? Ditto! Go on-line and look for the normal cost of a water pump for your car. Check at Firestone or an independent shop. Don't just do nothing and hope it goes away. It's not going to go away.