Car Overheating

[b45h]

Hi got a problem with my car since Sunday night the car keeps on over-heating, checked for leaks but nothing there. Realised the fan was not working that’s why the car was overheating.

I’ve got a spare corolla, which I use for spares so swapped the fan and fuses round still %$(ing overheating while the spare corolla starts and the fan kicks in normal

What other problems can it be advise needed cheers?

[Twincam.GTi]

My own experiance of the Corolla GTi is that it takes a very long time (even when stuck in traffic, on a summers day) for the fan to 'kick in'. From the way your message sounds it appears you need your fan to start in earlier (which is not right).

Things I would be conserned about is:

Has you corolla always had the Toyota Approved 'forlife' aditive in it? not just a normal antifreeze and water mixture. The Toyota forlife coolant (as per a lot of vehicles running their own brand of 'forlife) is very good a keeping waterways etc. clear. Many water mixes do not with age. First job would be to drain coolant and fill with this every 4years (I know it's called forlife but nothing is for life!).

Secondly whats your radiator like? If it is a replacement is it a cheap recon? There are a lot of bad so called reconditioned radiators about (usually with a life expectancy of only 2 years. There's a 'cowboy firm' doing precisly this on an industrial estate not for from where i live ...it's a wonder their still in business!).

Finally you say you have no water leaks ...one more place to check...the core plugs between the spark plugs. Pull off/up a spark plug lead and with a torch look down the hole to see any water around the area. Do it when cold, for a hot engine will evaporate any imediate dampness.

[GT4 BOOSTER]

try a new sensor in the radiator , its probably knackered.failing that bridge the connectors on the muti plug and have the fan run continuous.

[TOYMOTA]

try a new sensor in the radiator , its probably knackered.failing that bridge the connectors on the muti plug and have the fan run continuous.

My fan stopped working on mine several years ago. I ended up doing this. I just unplugged the connector. Finding this is easy. Look for the big black water pipe going to the bottom of the rad on the right hand side of the engine, just behind the fan. Follow it up until it goes into the metal section of the cooling system. There will be a plug going into the metal section on top. Remove this plug in which the wires go to the fan (keep your hands away from the fan if the ignition is on) and the fan should be permanently on now. Mine never overheated once I did this. The only downside is that the engine will sound a little louder on tickover.

Job done!!

[b45h]

Just come back from work an hour ago waiting to start work on car on day off (friday)

Checked the core plugs between the spark plugs couldn't see any water there. I have a bill from Toyota of a new radiator been fiited before I got the car that was in 2002, When I got the car it already had coolant in not sure if had the toyota for-life.

Funny thing is car is coming up for a service and that was one of the things I was going to sort out new antifreeze/coolant(Toyota stuff) for winter.

Has the thermostat got anything to make the fan work, cause a couple of times the temperture has dropped when driving but then went back up to the middle.

How much for a new sensor for the radiator?

nice one bash

[TOYMOTA]

Sensor's aren't that cheap if I remember correctly.

You'll only be able to get it from Toyota, not Halfords. As we all know there's a big difference in their prices for other parts.

All you can do is ask you dealler or unplug the wires mentioned above!

[GT4 BOOSTER]

if the temp guage falls well below a quarter after you drive for 5 minutes from half way , chances are the thermostat is knackered also. but stopping in heavy traffic it should rise straight away again and the fan should come on when its really hot.and not overheat , those sensors are usually in the lower half of the radiator and can range from £15 up to say at a guess £ 30. if you do need a thermostat get a toyota one around £ 17 .

[deekay140]

try a new thermostat and a cooling fan sensor, should be a single wire switch somewhere around the gooseneck for thermostat, if the key is on and u unplug it, this will ground the circuit and should turn the fan on, if it does, you now know the rest of the circuit and parts are ok. replace the fan switch, also when the car is hot, if u grab the upper and lower radiator hoses, they should be the same temperature, if not then the t-stat is stuck closed. good luck

[b45h]

Went to the scrappy yesterday and found a white front end smashed twinny, got the switches put them in and the car has stopped overheating and fan kicks in.

Did not have time to go to Mr T to find out prices but as TOYMOTA & maleborn1967 said they were not going to be cheap plus the guy at the scrappy repeated the same advice cheap, so decided to go down this route.

Thanks for the advice cheers