Overheated Engine - Any Advice

[duncanda]

Hi, I've a new model 2003 Avensis 1.8. I'm looking for any advice as to what I should get Toyota to check. My car dumped most of its coolant today and when I arrived at my destination I noticed some steam coming from under the bonnet. The only indicator of something out of the ordinary was that the temperature gauge was cold whilst travelling to my destination. No warnings lights came on!! the header tank was still half full as well.

RAC man duly arrives and agrees the coolant's been lost, but due to a hose clip not having been installed correctly, probably from the factory. Sure enough he shows me the clip and the spring tension hadn't been released to squeeze the hose.

I've booked it into Toyota but they can't take me for a week. Chap at Toyota didn't seem too concerned that there would be any permanet damage. Engine runs okay now, but the "malfunction idicator light" is permanently on. So I will contact tomorrow to get checked earlier.

What should I get Toyota to check: it needs the water replaced with proper coolant, pressure test coolant system, oils not been burnt, any thing else?

Thanks

[Mackers]

idle it on ya drive till the fan comes on 2tice, with the cap off, if it need topping up DO SO, then drive it for a few miles if none's lost, ya ok.

As for the burnt oil...... it's not connected to ya water, you could have no oil and ya engine seize, but you'd stil have ya oil on the make, unless you're refering to the VVTI oil problem.......... but you should be checking ths

at every thousand miles or so anyways.

[cal]

The damage varies from the extent of overheating.

If it is a minor one, adding coolant and you will get away with it.

For more serious matter, you will have other problems so watch out for the followings;

1. Make sure it idles smoothly like it used to.

2. After few thousand miles, take the oil filler cap and check for any mayonaise looking residues. If there are any, you may have a cylinder head problem.

3. Any change in performance, such as pinging, lack of power etc.

4. Loss of coolant. When the crack on the cylinder head is minor, you will lose coolant but without having any mayonaise residue in the engine oil.

Hope it is not too serious.

[duncanda]

Thanks Cal and Mackers. It's running as before, but I will keep an eye on the water level and mayo in the oil cap, etc. It's going into Toyota next week, so they say they will do a thorough check and replace the coolant.

Ta

David