# Car overheating in heavy traffic and hot weather



## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


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## SurginGeneral (Aug 9, 2017)

Does the engine temperature actually overheat? Or just the AC stops blowing cold air?


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

SurginGeneral said:


> Does the engine temperature actually overheat? Or just the AC stops blowing cold air?


The warning light comes on, and from opening the hood after stopping it does seem to be actually overheating.


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## SurginGeneral (Aug 9, 2017)

Damn. I’d first check to make sure there’s coolant in the reservoir as well as the radiator (Check radiator when engine is cool). Any sweet-ish smell in the engine bay? That would be an indicator of coolant exiting the system 

Then check under the car (or at bottom of engine bay with a flashlight if your car has a splash guard that wouldn’t allow drips to hit the ground). That may indicate a small leak that can hopefully be fixed with a coolant additive if it’s not too big. 

Hopefully it’s something small like that, and not something larger. Did you have anything regarding coolant worked on recently? The shop may have made a mistake or broken something.

If you can have someone watch the exhaust pipe while you gently give the car some revs, make sure it’s not blowing any white smoke( technically steam) out of the exhaust. That would unfortunately indicate something much worse :frown:


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

Bad thermostat or water pump could do this.
1. Check belts for signs of wear, and proper tension
2. Check coolant level. Depending on the car, if you can access the radiator cap, the coolant should be just up to the bottom of the filler neck. Make sure you do this while the engine is cold, or hot coolant and steam will cause serious burns. If your system only has an accessible resevior, check to see that the level is up to the marking for hot or cold, according to the engine temp.

If the coolant is up to its proper level and your belt is ok, it might be a bad thermostat isnt opening to allow coolant flow. Or, the pump might be bad. It is also possible there is blockage in the radiator. Or the fan might not be working properly. If your car has an electric fan, you might just need a new sensor.

If you aren't handy with a wrench, get it to a shop for diagnosis.

If your car overheats while driving, immediately shut off the ac, open windows, and turn the heat all the way up. You want to get as much heat out of the system as fast as you can.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

SurginGeneral said:


> Damn. I'd first check to make sure there's coolant in the reservoir as well as the radiator (Check radiator when engine is cool). Any sweet-ish smell in the engine bay? That would be an indicator of coolant exiting the system
> 
> Then check under the car (or at bottom of engine bay with a flashlight if your car has a splash guard that wouldn't allow drips to hit the ground). That may indicate a small leak that can hopefully be fixed with a coolant additive if it's not too big.
> 
> ...


Thanks, no such work done on it recently. I topped off the coolant level a few days ago as it was low, but it's happened again since then. I'll check tomorrow morning and see if it's gone down again (which I guess would indicate a leak).


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

SurginGeneral said:


> Damn. I'd first check to make sure there's coolant in the reservoir as well as the radiator (Check radiator when engine is cool). Any sweet-ish smell in the engine bay? That would be an indicator of coolant exiting the system
> 
> Then check under the car (or at bottom of engine bay with a flashlight if your car has a splash guard that wouldn't allow drips to hit the ground). That may indicate a small leak that can hopefully be fixed with a coolant additive if it's not too big.
> 
> ...


If white smoke is coming from exhast (no blueish tint) that's likely a head gasket. Check the oil level. If the oil looks like a milkshake, don't drive the car. Have it towed for service.

Check the upper and lower hoses for leaks and make sure the hose clamps are tight. Hoses can develop cracks, which might allow pressurized coolant to escape.

Check the floor under the dashboard too. If its wet, your heater core might be leaking.


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## swathdiver (Apr 18, 2019)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


I think you now have problems with your cooling system at least but also check the operation of the cooling fans. One fan is for cooling the radiator and the other provides additional cooling when the AC is turned on. A failure of one of these fans may have lead to the other problems you're having now.

What kind of vehicle are we talking about?


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## Antvirus (Jan 6, 2019)

UberBeemer said:


> that's likely a head gasket


This reminds me of the time I bought a used Sebring convertible as a "fun" second car.

*Shudder*


swathdiver said:


> What kind of vehicle are we talking about?


Yes
Important missing info


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


I suspect your radiator cooling fan.

Since temp. is normal with airflow ! (when moving)

Check cooling fan first.


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


When you are driving, air from outside is passing through the radiator... so it is not overheating
Water pump, fan clutch , old leaking radiator 
Leave it running , open the hood and see if you can smell leaked coolant 
Blown head gasket also possible.. I sold one of my old vehicles when it had blown head... drove through the winter, made sure it had enough coolant and sold it in the late spring , when outside temperature started rising.


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## Munsuta (May 4, 2019)

2019 and we still have these pos money pit controlled explosion propelled aluminium boxes with sound systems. A Purposely flawed machine to constantly keep our wallets upside down. You would think we could do better at this point...


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## Z129 (May 30, 2018)

Coolant leak.


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

Z129 said:


> Coolant leak.


Be grateful you aren't in space, i guess...


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## Antvirus (Jan 6, 2019)

mbd said:


> Blown head gasket also possible.. I sold one of my old vehicles when it had blown head... drove through the winter, made sure it had enough coolant and sold it in the late spring , when outside temperature started rising.


I'm sure you sleep like a baby...


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

Sold it for 700$ to a local mechanic .. 
weight alone was worth 500$
He can part it out and make profit .?
Transmission can be sold for 500$
Tires had 90% thread...sell it on Craig's list for 300$
Radio was worth 150
He got a good deal


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


What kind of unreliable car are you driving?


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

mbd said:


> Sold it for 700$ to a local mechanic ..
> weight alone was worth 500$
> He can part it out and make profit .?
> Transmission can be sold for 500$
> ...


Why not replace the head gasket?



reg barclay said:


> The warning light comes on, and from opening the hood after stopping it does seem to be actually overheating.


I hate to say this but when the warning light comes on it usually means it's too late. Hopefully your engine hasn't been damaged. You have lots of good advice in this thread.


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

Radiator fan! explains why the AC cuts out at idle, the condenser doesn't receive cooling it over pressurizes and the safety switch cuts. and then once you get the car moving at speed do you get enough air flow through the radiator to cool things down a little


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


If your car has an electric radiator fan and it goes out it will do that. When you turn the air on that radiator fan should be spinning. If it's not it could be a fuse but it's probably the fan.. I just had to replace mine...


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

its best to tell people exactly what kind of car you have....but the problem is one of your fans is bad


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## kcdrvr15 (Jan 10, 2017)

You should take it to a mechanic, these modern aluminum engines are great on fuel economy but suck at being able to withstand overheating. If your ride is overheating, then you risk damaging your engine.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

I had this exact problem once. It was a bad fan. Very easy to replace yourself.


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## FormerTaxiDriver♧ (Apr 5, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


I'm sorry that is happening to you, and I pray that you will see better days sooner than later.


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

Diag check list for fan is start car, the turn on ac. 
Verify ac compressor is engaged. If so, fans should either be on low or high speed, depending on modle of car.
If no fan, wiggle plugs.
Then unplug fan and check for voltage and ground. If voltage, fan is bad. If no voltage, then check fuse and relay.

If fan operates then it is either intermittent, or something else.

Check fan operation and get back to us


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Its frustrating that its going to be a simple fix but with all the responses, the OP is probably more confused than when he started.

If water is actually circulating, which means the *water pump* is spinning and the *thermostat* opens when car gets to temperature, that means that one or both of the *radiator fans* is not activating. They can burn out and stop turning, but also it could mean there is a problem with the electrical *wiring harness*, but a simpler explanation is that a *fuse* burned out.

Bolded words are possibilities.

Because it gets worse when you turn on the AC (that automatically turns on the second cooling fan), that tells me it is likely one of the radiator fans. Check the fuses first, the visibly inspect to see if both fans are spinning when the AC is on. If the car is up to temperature with the AC on, both fans should be spinning. If not, you have found your problem. If they are, then its internal (water pump or thermostat).


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

reg barclay said:


> Thanks, no such work done on it recently. I topped off the coolant level a few days ago as it was low, but it's happened again since then. I'll check tomorrow morning and see if it's gone down again (which I guess would indicate a leak).


First, before we continue, we need what car. If you dont want to give out year make model, thats fine. Engine family will do. Something like Toyota 1.8 motor or dodge 2.7 v6 will work.

Disappearing coolant, lets hope a little got pushed out. Some engines need coolant bled... Low coolant might be a Secondary effect, and not the root cause.


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## peteyvavs (Nov 18, 2015)

Are you by chance driving a Ford or Chevy, if so trade it in for a reliable car.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

OldBay said:


> Its frustrating that its going to be a simple fix but with all the responses, the OP is probably more confused than when he started.





doyousensehumor said:


> First, before we continue, we need what car. If you dont want to give out year make model, thats fine. Engine family will do.


The engine is a Chevy 1.4L. Thanks for all the responses. And yes, I'm definitely more confused than before I started. Although my gut feeling (based on what has been said here, and what I've read elsewhere) is that it's the fan.

In any event, I'm probably just gonna go to my mechanic, but they won't be open till Tuesday. So my main question now is if there is any problem driving it without the AC and just windows open until then? Since it's gonna be between 70-80 and sunny here, I'll probably be refraining from picking u pax in the meantime.


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## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

That car have a temperature guage or only an idiot light? If the coolant level is not low, turn off the ac and run the heat on high, at least when guage shows anywhere past normal temp. The heaters in cars are actually mini radiators. That will boost cooling. Should be able to limp it in. Save yourself from a flatbed ride. Just to be safe, I wouldn't recommend driving it otherwise, wouldnt want you to damage it unnecessarily based on advice over internet.

Edit: 1.4 Turbo motor... yep don't damage that motor. Take a couple days off. Only drive it to shop.


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## Hans GrUber (Apr 23, 2016)

You need to get this checked ASAP. This is how my Uber career came to an end. Ended up needing a new engine after it overheated. Good thing it was a lease.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

doyousensehumor said:


> That car have a temperature guage or only an idiot light?


No gauge, just a light, which makes it more difficult to anticipate.


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## Bob Reynolds (Dec 20, 2014)

reg barclay said:


> No gauge, just a light, which makes it more difficult to anticipate.


How many miles do you have on the Chevy Cruze?


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

Bob Reynolds said:


> How many miles do you have on the Chevy Cruze?


Around 60k.


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## Bob Reynolds (Dec 20, 2014)

reg barclay said:


> Around 60k.


Overheating kills more car engines than any other reason. So this is nothing to fool around with. There have been instances where a driver overheating an engine, got a replacement engine and blew that one as well.

The reason is because the cause of the overheating was not solved. You must solve the overheating problem.

So with that in mind here are the things to check.

1. Fluid levels. If you filled it last week and it is low again then you have a leak. Look everywhere for leaks. (under the car, near the water pump, at the hoses)

2. Water Pump. A common source of leaks. It might even make some noise.

3. Hoses. You have an upper and lower radiator hose and you have heater hoses. Any of those can be the source of a leak.

4. Heater Core. This is under your dash and your floor will often be wet and it will smell like anti-freeze. You can bypass the heater core with a hose connection and this will stop the leak but you will not have any heat.

5. Radiator. The radiator can be clogged from insects or calcified water. If it is then you need a new radiator.

6. Thermostat. This is located at the upper engine block where the upper radiator hose connects to the engine. It could be stuck.

7. Radiator fan. Your Radiator fans may not be functioning properly. It may need a new motor or a new fan. It could be stuck and not turning freely.

At 60,000 miles, if the car has been maintained well and had the proper services, then the most likely cause will be the water pump, thermostat or radiator fan. The key is to determine where the leak is coming from.


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

$10 says it the water pump


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## Seattle_my_beloved (Jan 12, 2019)

Move to San Francisco, you will need your car heater in summer :biggrin: Days in the 60s and nights in the 50s, cars don't overheat there. I loved it when pax would tell me after getting in my car, "Wow, it is so warm and nice here!" :biggrin:
But since you are from NJ, expect your rent and gas expense to more than double. Your car won't overheat, but your brain will :biggrin:
Am I right? @Pax Collector


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## amazinghl (Oct 31, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> So my main question now is if there is any problem driving it without the AC and just windows open until then? Since it's gonna be between 70-80 and sunny here, I'll probably be refraining from picking u pax in the meantime.


Only place you should drive to is the mechanic place.

Don't risk a $3000 of engine replacement.



Bob Reynolds said:


> Overheating kills more car engines than any other reason. So this is nothing to fool around with. There have been instances where a driver overheating an engine, got a replacement engine and blew that one as well.
> 
> The reason is because the cause of the overheating was not solved. You must solve the overheating problem.
> 
> ...


Great list! I'd like to add 8th.

8. Lack of maintenance. Coolant get more acidic as time goes by and attack the metal. I change my coolant every two years, despite the "5 year" coolant life.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

amazinghl said:


> Only place you should drive to is the mechanic place.
> 
> Don't risk a $3000 of engine replacement.
> 
> ...


the only way water pump fins wear down like that is when someone runs straight tap water for years


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

doyousensehumor said:


> Diag check list for fan is start car, the turn on ac.
> Verify ac compressor is engaged. If so, fans should either be on low or high speed, depending on modle of car.
> If no fan, wiggle plugs.
> Then unplug fan and check for voltage and ground. If voltage, fan is bad. If no voltage, then check fuse and relay.
> ...


And for God sakes keep your fingers...

OUT OF THE FAN....8>O

That could lead to a nasty digital mess...8>)

Rakos








PS. Coulds swore there was five...8>O


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## UberBeemer (Oct 23, 2015)

Some cars have more than one sensor. Mine has one in the waterpump housing and one on the lower side of the radiator. If that one is bad, the fan wont turn on.



uberdriverfornow said:


> the only way water pump fins wear down like that is when someone runs straight tap water for years


You couldn't do that in winter without the block cracking. So.e cars have plastic impellers in the pump, which can deteriorate. GM Dexcool is actually bad for plastic parts like pump impellers or intake manifolds and gaskets after a few years.


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## rideshare2870 (Nov 23, 2017)

I had that happen to me on a Dodge that I used to have. It was a bad water pump that caused it. Stop driving that car immediately because it’s dangerous. I was on a busy express way when my car was overheating and some hot fluid came out from where the gas pedal is located and burned my leg. Later on, my car shut off completly at a stop light. It could of stopped abruptly while I was driving at a high speed but I’m so glad it shut off when I was at a stop. From there, I waited a few minutes and restarted it and barely made it to the mechanic. To make a long story short, I bought something else. I wasn’t going to spend $1,100 to replace the water pump.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

amazinghl said:


> Only place you should drive to is the mechanic place.
> 
> Don't risk a $3000 of engine replacement.
> 
> ...





uberdriverfornow said:


> the only way water pump fins wear down like that is when someone runs straight tap water for years


A couple years ago I bought an original owner '86 Tbird in pretty decent shape. I couldn't figure out why it kept overheating. Finally I took out the water pump and it was missing the fins.

I only paid a hundred bux for the car and its been running great since.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

UberBeemer said:


> Some cars have more than one sensor. Mine has one in the waterpump housing and one on the lower side of the radiator. If that one is bad, the fan wont turn on.
> 
> 
> You couldn't do that in winter without the block cracking. So.e cars have plastic impellers in the pump, which can deteriorate. GM Dexcool is actually bad for plastic parts like pump impellers or intake manifolds and gaskets after a few years.


sometimes people buy the non diluted and mix it with tap water instead of distilled water like youre supposed to


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## Bob Reynolds (Dec 20, 2014)

Folks, don't put tap water, well water or spring water into a radiator. That is what clogs radiators.

You should use distilled water or purified water. Take a lesson from the NASCAR racing teams. They have reverse osmosis systems that produce purified water. That's what they use in those race cars.


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


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Like others have posted, I would replace the Thermostat . You can have one put in that will open at a lower temp. Had to do that with a Chevy I once had. Same problem.


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


what car, how many miles, whens the last time you changed T-Stat and coolant,does your fan work when idling? do you have a temp gauge or idiot lite? a little info will go a long way,jmo


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

please everyone, stop with the bad advice

if the thermostat was bad the car would overheat regardless of car movement and speed


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

reg barclay said:


> I assume this isn't normal, even in stop and go traffic and hot weather. Each time it's happened I was without pax thankfully. When it happens the AC will stop blowing cold air. Every time, it went away after getting out of traffic and turning off the AC for a bit. Any ideas what it could be?


Did you get to the repair shop before your engine was damaged?


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## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

*my only advice is coming from one chevy owner to another.....get rid of before 100k

29,000k - 70k normal brakes and tires, water pump went ($800)mainly labor because you have to take half the engine apart to get to it and need a special tool to keep timing chain still.

70-100k nothing but normal brakes and tires.

100k-105k replaced new exhaust manifold, sway bar links, New front tie rods + front end alignment, 4 New calipers, New front shock/Strut/spring assembly, new electronic steering sensor (free from chevy $750 mainly labor if not under recall, got lucky I guess) 1 up flow and 1 down flow co2 sensors, 2 rear shocks, New radiator with Radiator flush, 4 new wheel hub bearing assembly replacement, resonator for exhaust (patched at first but had to replace for inspection) 2 new headlight socket harness adapters (burned) and two trunk lid shocks.

105k -119k (now) normal *


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> No gauge, just a light, which makes it more difficult to anticipate.


Well, what was the issue?


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## RabbleRouser (Apr 30, 2019)

⚠⚠⚠Many times it's the ?*Engine Coolant Thermostat *?
Easy and cheap fix⚠⚠⚠










⚠Google your car ?: make, model & year followed by "replace engine coolant thermostat". ⚠Cheap part and YouTube will show u step by step instructions


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## DMAGENT99 (Jun 17, 2017)

It is your thermostat. Very cheap fix...you could do it yourself, just pull up a YouTube video.
The Thermostat is change is easy


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

goneubering said:


> Did you get to the repair shop before your engine was damaged?


Haven't really driven it since then. But I just got my hands on a code reader. Plugged it in and it's showing code "P0599 Thermostat Heater Control Circuit High".


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## RabbleRouser (Apr 30, 2019)

reg barclay said:


> Haven't really driven it since then. But I just got my hands on a code reader. Plugged it in and it's showing code "P0599 Thermostat Heater Control Circuit High".


https://repairpal.com/obd-ii-code-p0599-thermostat-heater-control-circuit-high


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> Haven't really driven it since then. But I just got my hands on a code reader. Plugged it in and it's showing code "P0599 Thermostat Heater Control Circuit High".


You already knew that.


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## Bob Reynolds (Dec 20, 2014)

That sounds like it might be the Thermostat Housing Assembly. You can find one on Amazon for about $75. You might check GM part number 25192228. Here is the Amazon page for one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S0JQB38/?tag=ubne0c-20
Since we do not know the exact, year, make and model of your vehicle, you will need to verify the part number.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

The car still has the powertrain warranty until 100,000 miles. So I'm thinking it may be covered under that.


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## Bob Reynolds (Dec 20, 2014)

reg barclay said:


> The car still has the powertrain warranty until 100,000 miles. So I'm thinking it may be covered under that.


I believe your water pump would be covered under the powertrain warranty. I'm not so sure about the thermostat housing.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

Boca Ratman said:


> You already knew that.


I didn't know the CEL was on till I checked yesterday. The reason, a year or so ago, the CEL was on. It was a small issue, so I left it a few weeks before fixing, but put black tape over the light so pax wouldn't see it and report to Uber. Anyway, after fixing it, I forgot about the tape because the way dash is set up on this car makes it almost unnoticeable. The CEL is in the black hole at bottom left, and this is how it looked with the tape there.


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> I didn't know the CEL was on till I checked yesterday. The reason, a year or so ago, the CEL was on. It was a small issue, so I left it a few weeks before fixing, but put black tape over the light so pax wouldn't see it and report to Uber. Anyway, after fixing it, I forgot about the tape because the way dash is set up on this car makes it almost unnoticeable. The CEL is in the black hole at bottom left, and this is how it looked with the tape there.
> 
> View attachment 324905


Ha! Out of sight, our of mind!

My old car had black tape on several warning lights, check engine (faulty catalytic converter) tire pressure indicator (the sensor was faulty) and the seatbelt light (not sure what the problem was)

I had them all covered after some pax mentioned them.


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