02 Overheating!!!

[cdixon]

Ok, I know there's been a lot said about this seemingly "routine" problem but I'd like to explain my exact situation while it's fresh on my mind and get ya'lls take on it.

I left work this evening and about 3 miles down the road I heard that infamous phantom beap only this time it didn't stop. At this time I noticed my A/C wasn't blowing cool and I looked down and my temp light was on and the gauge pegged and then it went into reduced power mode. Remembering having glanced at a previous thread regarding this I turned my car off while at the red light and started it back up. The gauge immediately started going down and within 2-3 seconds the light was off and the car was driving fine and the A/C blowing the usual ice cold air. I made it the 5 or so miles home with no further incidence and then took two more fairly short 5-8 mile trips and had no other problem. I checked and the fan seemes to be working fine and the coolant level seems to be normal. I haven't heard any gurgling sounds indicative of air being trapped but then again until today I've had no reason to listen for such a sound. What is my best course of action at this time? I will more than appreciate any help from ya'll. Thanks in advance.

 

[SoonerLS]

Three common causes of this are a stuck thermostat; a cracked coolant reservoir/degas bottle; and a bad coolant reservoir/degas bottle lid. If it's a cracked bottle, you should see coolant under the car in the vicinity of the trailing edge of the driver's side front wheel well. The reservoir bottle lid is probably the cheapest problem to fix.

 

[cdixon]

Three common causes of this are a stuck thermostat; a cracked coolant reservoir/degas bottle; and a bad coolant reservoir/degas bottle lid. If it's a cracked bottle, you should see coolant under the car in the vicinity of the trailing edge of the driver's side front wheel well. The reservoir bottle lid is probably the cheapest problem to fix.

Thanks for replying. I'm pretty sure that it's not a cracked resorvoir because I've checked and don't see even a drip of any coolant. I guess I'll try the cap and hope that works. Hate to sound like an idiot but it is the main resorvoir near the firewall that you're talking about, right? And do I need to go through the purging steps once I put it on? Thanks again for all your help.

 

[SoonerLS]

Yeah, the bottle in the driver's side rear corner of the engine compartment is the one. As for purging, I'm not sure; I've only heard from people who had it done. From what I understand of the problem, I don't think you'd need to purge the system, but it probably wouldn't hurt.

 

[cdixon]

Thanks SoonerLS. Does anyone else have any advice on this? Just trying to kinda get a general consensus on what to do.

 

[lseguy]

Absolutely 100% positive it's not cracked? They often develop hairline cracks from within..then those cracks begin to grow and reach the outer layer. The leaking will only occur at high temps, and the drip usually is just behind the drivers side wheelwell area.

 

[cdixon]

Absolutely 100% positive it's not cracked? They often develop hairline cracks from within..then those cracks begin to grow and reach the outer layer. The leaking will only occur at high temps, and the drip usually is just behind the drivers side wheelwell area.

No I'm not 100% positive.....I suppose it could be cracked but I do know that it's not leaking at all. It hasn't happened again so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it was just a fluke but I have an idea it wasn't. Would you reccomend me replacing it anyway?