Q: Our car is overheating but WHYYYY

asked by on January 28, 2018

WE HAD THERMSTAT HOUSING REPLACED BUT ITS STILL OVERHEATING RESERVIOR IS FULL RADIATOR IS FULL but it’s iverheating in idle the needle goes all the way to red check gage comes on smokes and then goes down when driving. Bringing it back to mechanic tomorrow what do we expect what could the problem be there are a few leaks on the floor but nothing crazy but the whole engine bay is soak n wet plz help

My car has 194127 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

You will need to have the cooling system pressure tested to see if the radiator or somewhere on engine is leaking. You may have an intake thermostat housing leak or water pump leaking. You should not drive it if temperature gets in the red or you will damage engine.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Engine started burning oil, what can I do?
Your truck is using excessive oil in my opinion. GMC has oil consumption ongoing issues for your year truck and most engines they equipped them with. I would recommend getting an oil consumption test to document the exact amount of...
Car overheating and not defrosting properly.
Hi, I have seen this issue quite often on the PT Cruiser. This is typically caused by a failure in the heater core that is located in the dash. This part carries hot coolant into the interior of the car...
How do I change the ringtone volume?
The volume of the ringtone on an incoming phone call can be changed very easily. To do so, follow these steps: Press the Setup button. Press phone, phone sound settings, ring tone choose ring tone volume. Then adjust volume level....
Car shaking after Check Engine light came on.
It sounds like you have a cylinder misfiring. I would recommend having a technician come out and check the code on the car (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/check-engine-light-is-on-inspection) to determine what is causing the misfire. It could be a wide range of things such...
Hesitation at RPMs lower than 2000
The vehicle may have unmetered air entering the engine, which is air entering the tubes between the mass airflow sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-mass-airflow-sensor) and the throttle body (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-throttle-body). If there are no leaks, then the fuel trims in the data would need...
What cause my car brakes to grab at low speed. 5 mph
Hi there: In many instances, the issue you're describing with the brakes on your 2000 Lexus L6 is related to wheel rotors that might be warped. The brake rotors (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/is-it-safe-to-drive-with-warped-rotors) are a component that makes up the modern disc brake...
Fuel pressure drops after 30 mins of driving
The fuel pressure regulator has a vacuum diaphragm with a spring keeping a certain amount of pressure on the center of the diaphragm to control the amount of fuel returning to the fuel tank ans keeping the correct amount of...
New power steering pump and hoses. The fluid is good too but it's hard to turn the steering wheel. What causes it?
Hello, thanks for writing in. Assuming the power steering system has been properly bled, and there is no more air in the system, I suspect the pressure relief valve in the pump itself is stuck, not allowing pressure to "assist"...
What other gaskets will I need to replace the intake manifold gasket? 1997 Ford Mustang V6
Hello - the intake manifold on this engine has an upper and lower section. Several gasket manufacturers offer an intake manifold gasket set (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-buy-a-good-quality-intake-manifold-gasket_2), which includes all of the gaskets needed to perform this repair. If you are doing this...

Related articles

The Best Used Cars to Buy If You Have Kids
Once Once you have kids, the kind of car you have becomes very important. Suddenly, the amount of space, entertainment features, reliability, safety, and easy to clean interior become the top priorities. Here’s a list of vehicles meant to satisfy...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You’re a Plumber
Plumbers Plumbers need to carry around all manner of tools and supplies. If you’re plumbing a large building, or even a decent sized home, you’re going to need a vehicle that has quite a bit of cargo capacity. A car...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Fan Clutch
If your car has a fan clutch, common signs include the vehicle overheating, the cooling fans working very loudly, or engine performance decreasing.