2002 Chrysler Concorde car tries to over heat

97,000 MILES • 6 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
Avatar
JWTOLES
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
i am trying to figure out whats going on when im driving my car tries to over heat but i neva reaches that point it gets close to it then the needle drops down to the middle what could be causing this i replaced the thermostate about 5 to 6 months ago i really need some help
Jan 1, 2010 at 2:33 AM
Avatar
CH112063
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 1,320 POSTS
One time, I was having fits trying to repair this exact problem, everything on the car was new and still once in a while the gauge went hot, slowly returning to normal.
After a couple days of pulling what was left of my hair out, the service manager brought a bulletin, not a service bulletin but just a managers eyes only engineers notice about a few cars coming through like this. It was just a ground resistance equation and took 5 minutes to fix, is the coolant level ok? It may be the thermostat sticking or its low on coolant, even the fans that cool it may be bad or their controls, air in the system from a leaking head gasket, all will cause this also, it may just be the sending unit circuit also.
Jan 5, 2010 at 11:51 AM
Avatar
KGH
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have the very same problem, can you please explain the "ground resistance equation" and what you did in the 5 minutes.

Thanks in advance!!
May 7, 2010 at 2:15 AM
Avatar
NICKCOOK123
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have the same problem except mine will slowly heat up just like that but it will only go down if I have the heat on full blast
Feb 28, 2018 at 10:06 AM
Avatar
MIKE H R
  • MEMBER
  • 3,094 POSTS
First question, check between the radiator and the a/c condensor, make sure it is cleaned out and the air can go through the radiator easily, {had it happen to me} If leaves and pine needles get in there they cut down on the air cooling the engine. Even though you put a new thermastat in does not mean it is good, have seen some after market parts being bad even though they were new.
With it beining a 2002 you might want to back flush the system from any containments that might clog up things. It also may be the temp sending unit is going bad.
Mar 2, 2018 at 11:33 PM
Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle