car running hot

did you close the petcock ? if not it may have broken recheck your work.

These guides can help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant

Please run down these guides and report back.

I made sure I closed it before refilling. It started draining when my car got really hot but before that nothing was leaking.

check around there for cracks or breakage they are only plastic tanks with aluminum fins so it may have cracked either at the petcock or lower rad hose if you took it off there. we have no pics of that so we can't send anything like that to you. it may also be a loose hose at pump and leaking down so check there as well.

My car is making bubbling noises like its running hot but it's not reading hot inside nor do the fan come on

If you're hearing that under the hood, look for bubbles in the coolant reservoir. If you see them there, suspect a leaking head gasket. The clue, as you mentioned already is there's no steam associated with those bubbles.

What causes a car to run hot? I tried a new thermostat but that not the problem.

Are you actually overheating or boiling over if not could be the gauge or the coolant temperature sensor misleading you-If not could be air in the system, clogged radiator or a malfunctioning water pump

Ok, heres the deal. I have only had the car for a little over six months and got it from a used car dealership. The past two months I have been getting something done on this car and now Im starting to get frustrated. I have had a new thermostat put in and also had it boiled. Then I had the water pump checked and it is fine. They also checked the radiator and said it was fine as well. But yet the car continues to over heat. If I dont drive it for a week or so the first day it is fine and then after that it starts run hot and the light comes on and never goes off. someone told me that it could be a problem in my engine. I am a female and lord knows I am past clueless in this matter. Can someone please tell me what it could be????

Could be airlock in the cooling system try getting it bleed don't work its time to get it block and pressure tested.

I am having a problem with my engine running hot. It runs fine when I have on the heat, but when I turn on the AC or ride without the AC, the temperature hand moves from normal operating temperature (half way mark) all the way over to the three quarters mark on the temperature gauge. It has never passed that point. It will get there, then it will slowly fall back to normal operating temperature, and then rises again. I am not losing any coolant and I am unsure of what could be causing this. I asked two repair shops and one person told me that it was normal for my car and engine to do that and the other repair shop told me that it was nothing to worry about altogether. I am unsure of what to think because I never had a car that runs hot like this.

If you feel it is raising to a point of concern and it has not done it before, there is a problem.

The fact that it lowers with the heater on is not uncommon. The heater core acts as an additional (small) radiator where coolant has extra time to cool.

On the other hand, the AC places an extra load on the engine that can cause it to run hotter.

Now, if the car only heats up when you are at a stop, make sure the cooling fans are running (when the gauge shows hot). If they are not, they need to. When the car is sitting, there is no air flow through the radiator to cool the coolant. As a result, the fans draw the air through it to keep it cool. When you drive, air flows. Therefore, if it is heating up while you are moving, I would suggest replacing the thermostat. It is a cheap part to start with and if it is sticking, it could be causing the problem as well.

If you want, we have a "how to" for checking the thermostat on our homepage under the DIY section. The hardest part is removing it. However, I would just replace it if I remove it. They are like $5.00.

Let me know if this answers your question and helps. If you have other questions, let me know.

Joe

My coolant fans are running and I have had them checked before. The radiator is also full to the top with coolant as well. I will try to replace the thermostat and see if that resolves anything. I have one more question though, would driving the car while it is hot affect anything? Like I stated before, the temperature hand rises and falls but never overheats.

You do not want the engine to overheat. If it does, it can cause other problems such as a blown head gasket, warped head. Because I am not there, I truly do not know how hot it is getting which makes it hard for me. Regardless, chances are it will continue to get worse over time. I would first start with the thermostat. Also, since you have to drain the radiator regardless, go to the parts store and get yourself a good radiator flush and flush it. That way you can get two jobs done in one and not have to re-drain the radiator if the thermostat does not fix the issue.

Hope this helps.
Joe

I have had my thermostat changed and the radiator flushed out and added new coolant to the system. It still is doing the same thing. I took it to multiple shops and I continue to get mixed answers. I am unsure of what to do next. I do not have any leaks and everything seems to be working fine, but the temperature hand still rises above normal operating temperature and occasionally falls down back to normal operating temperature.

I have also noticed a sharp drop in fuel economy, and the transmission starts shifting harder when it is hotter than it is supposed to be.

can you tell me what they have checked so far?

So far I have gotten my spark plugs changed, my coolant system flushed, and a new thermostat. Everything else seems to be in working order says the people I took it to.

My temperature stays within this range. It does not go over that line, but it gets there and falls back and rises up again.

when it goes to 3/4 the fans come on and it drops to 1/2. if you were overheating you would know. a restricted radiator can cause this or a faulty coolant temperature sensor. Thank you for using 2CarPros.

If everything is good with the cooling system, the only thing I can think of is a bad temperature sending unit. That is what sends the signal to the gauge. However, I cannot understand why it would do what you described unless there is a resistance problem within the switch itself.

Engine Cooling problem
2004 Chevy Impala 6 cyl Automatic 154000 miles

I have a 2004 chevy impala and it has been running hot but the temperature gage does not read that it is running that hot its a little pass the half way point.After i turn off the car and try to turn it back on it will not start for a while until it cools off. First i was told to replace the catalytic converter and i did that and still had the same problem with it over heating and not cutting back on. Then i was told to replace the mass air flow sensor did that still same problem. Im lost someone told me that the engine is not able to breath and thats why once it runs hot and i cut it off it wont start. What do you think the problems is because i have put all this money into it and the problem still havent been fixed

Hi tucker284,

Thank you for the donation.

Is the coolant level in the radiator always correct?
Are the cooling fans working?
Is the Check Engine Light indicating?
When engine could not start, did you test to see what is missing, fuel, sparks or others?

cooling fans working and coolant level is good. I thought it was weird that the check engine light doesnt come on. The car will start but it shuts right off. to me its because its hot because soon as the car cools off it starts up just fine. Dont know why its over heating could it be the thermostat that the only thing that has not been checked

The thermostat would cause overheating if it is stcuk in closed position but the non starting could be due to a fault with the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor. This is different from the temperture gauge sending unit.

I have a problem with my 2004 Impala. My Impala engine temputure runs anywhere between the half way mark and the 3 quarters mark, but never runs hot. I am not losing any antifreeze and I don't see any leaks. Also, I have noticed that my transmission is shifting harder when it does this. What could be my problem? Thanks.

I would start with a thermostat. Have the rad checked for flow. make sure the fans are operating at the correct temps.

as far as the trans. it is a separate issue. it may be too much throttle pressure but you need a trans shop to check it for you and give you a bid.

Roy

Would driving my car while the temp hand is above the half cause any major damage to the car since its not technically running hot?

I do not know what temp you are talking about but at 240 degrees, the head gaskets become vulnerable to fail. half way to me represents about 170-180, so above that is tough to figure. I would get it attended to asap so you dont do internal damage to the motor.

Roy

i put coolent in it and drove it about 3 miles and it was running hot nothing is leaking what could be wrong with it

Check thermostat.

so do u think that will fix the prob

It is the first thing I would check. If it isn't opening, the engine will overheat. check that and let me know what you find.

Engine Cooling problem
2003 Chevy Impala 6 cyl Automatic 95000 miles
----------------------------------------------------------------
replaced my fans and have also charged my ac but now my car is running hot when is is on after about 15 minutes

Either your waterpump is broken (coolant therefore not being circulated throughout the engine block) or the thermostat that switches on the radiator cooling fans is broken.

Engine Cooling problem
2002 Chevy Impala 184564 miles
----------------------------------------------------------------
my car was running hot but when you poppe d the hood you didn't feel any heat. had the radiator changed. worked fine but then after a couple of days it stated that the coolant was low. added more coolant now it says hot coolant temperature and runs heavy. What could be the problem

What do you mean by 'run heavy'?

If you have to add coolant regularly, that means you have a leak somewhere.

Was your coolant level really low when your message center told you 'low coolant'. You could have a bad sensor.


When your car is running hot, there are a few possibilities including:

-low coolant (add coolant) which in a lot of cases means...
-... leaks in the cooling system (pray for an external leak and not an internal one): pressure test the cooling system. If pressure OK, then the problem is elsewhere. You should also visually inspect your cooling system for leaks (preferably with engine running because it makes the leaks easier to detect).
Do you have a lot of white smoke coming out of your tailpipe? Do you have coolant in your oil? that would suggest...
-...a blown/leaky gasket (head gasket usually). I hope for you it's not the case. A compression test should tell you if it's the case.
-defective thermostat (stuck closed). Turn on your car and let it run until it reaches normal operating temp. Feel the top radiator hose with your hand. If it doesn't get hot, replace thermostat.
-defective water pump (usually it's leaking, especially when car is running): replace it.
-defective radiator (probably not in your case since you replaced it).
-Defective radiator cap (weak spring): the cap can't hold the pressure. Replace it.
-Sometime, you can have clogged waterjackets or a clogged hose.
-defective electrical fans (make sure fans come on when they're supposed to).
-Although it is more rare, sometime your serpentine belt is slipping on your waterpump pulley, which prevent the waterpump from working properly. Check belt tension. If tension too low, replace belt and/or belt tensioner.
-Defective sending unit (sensor). Make sure your sensor is working well. You can hook an autoscanner to your car and check the temperature received by your pcm (usually anywhere from 195 to 212 F). Compare this temperature with the temperature you get from an infrared thermometer at the thermostat housing (which is where your sensor is located on this model I believe although I'm not 100% positive). If the two temp are very different, your sensor is probably bad. If the temp are about the same, but your gauge reads high, you probably have a bad gauge, or a problem in the wiring.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

i have a 2002 chevy impala , ive replaced water pump, thermostat, bled air off coolant lines, car still tempature gauge is going crazy , while sitting still its fine , when going down the road it runs towards hot, the fans work, why?

Check and suspect lower intake gasket and or head gasket

You may have some internal damage from one of the previous overheating like a blown head gasket or cracked head. This problem may have started as a leak but developed into something more serious now.

I flushed radiator, refilled with 50/50 anti-freeze-coolant and put in new thermostat. The temperature gauge goes up to the red after about two miles and goes back and forth between the red and about half (twelve o'clock position. When I turn car off there is a gurgling, bubbling sound. Also, when driving uphill, there is a thumping noise under the hood. What is up?