Overheating

VALERIE.WADE

MEMBER
2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
91,675 MILES

I just purchased this car yesterday and on my way home it overheated. The strange thing is as soon as I stop the car it cools down and will not overheat as long as I don't exceed 30mph. If the car is hot and I stop it immediately cools down. Can you give me some advice to what is wrong or could be wrong before I spend a great deal of money at the shop?

Thank you!

6 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

For a start replace the thermostat and check the fan, if it continues come on back and I'll give it all I got

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Thursday, September 18th, 2008 AT 5:07 AM

VALERIE.WADE

MEMBER
2 POSTS

It ended up being the fan clutch. Thank you!

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Thursday, September 18th, 2008 AT 9:50 AM

ARCO

MEMBER
2 POSTS
2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
6 CYL
2WD
MANUAL
90,000 MILES

Hi,
I have started experiencing an engine overheating problem. After driving for about 5 mins, the temperature shot to 250 and the 'stop engine' light and alarm came on. From that time onwards I had to start and stop many times until I reached home as the 'stop' and 'check coolant' alarms kept coming soon after I started. The coolant was almost boiling, but the coolant and engine oil levels are fine. An additional information - just before this problem occured, the A/C didnot start for a couple of times when I pressed the switch, although later it was working fine.
Any suugestions as to what might be the problem.

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Monday, June 3rd, 2019 AT 8:05 PM (Merged)

DUBTECH

MECHANIC
159 POSTS

Have you noticed the electric radiator fans coming on? If they are working then it's probably a thermostat or water pump failure.

The thermostat may have failed and stuck closed, not allowing the coolant to circulate properly.
These water pumps also have a high failure rate. The plastic impeller breaks and stops circulating the coolant.
The water pump, thermostat, and cambelt should be replaced as a set.

The A/C system is directly tied into the cooling system. So if the cooling system isn't working properly it will shut off the A/C.

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Monday, June 3rd, 2019 AT 8:05 PM (Merged)

ARCO

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thanks Dubtech for your suggestions. My problem has been solved. I was also thinking of the thermostat or the waterpump impeller, but it was neither of those. It was the faulty temperature sensor that was wrongly reading the temperature to be too high and shutting of the A/C. The mechanic thought of the sensor when he found out that the engine and the cooling system did not actually feel hot on touching. Thanks anyways.