Q: 2013 Chevy Cruze Engine False Overheating
My 2013 Cruze constantly gets a message saying “AC off due to high engine temp.” When I look at my temperature gauge it is 3/4 of the way from cold to hot. This happens often when I am accelerating or going up hills. I get this message even when my AC is not on. The gauge then goes back down after a few seconds. I notice that my gauge also reaches normal temperature quicker than it used to. I live in 40 degree weather and after only 5 minutes of driving the gauge says the car is warmed up. Also, I notice that the heater only blows hot air when my foot is on the gas. Once I stop accelerating, idle, or parked cold air blows in. I notice it only blows through the upper vents and nothing comes out of the foot vents. I am unsure if this issue is related to the first one. Please help, thank you!
My car has 95000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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Hi Daneen. Thanks for contacting us today. This is a very odd situation, but I think the heater’s inconsistent operation might be a clue as to the root issue. The heater works by coolant that has been heated after circulating through the engine block to the heater core. The blower motor then circulates the heat coming from the heater core to the vents and eventually, is what you feel. The air goes cold when the heater core is cool, which happens when hot coolant stops circulating through the core. This is often due to an obstruction of debris inside the heater core. When you accelerate, the coolant circulates with more pressure, which may remove the blockage inside the core and create heat. Anyways, this is just a logical estimation as to why you might be getting the message. In order to correctly diagnose this issue, a warning light inspection would be required.
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