Chrysler recalls police Chargers due to overheating

Chrysler Group LLC recalled nearly 10,000 Dodge Charger police vehicles built last year due to overheating issues that may lead to headlamp and brake failure.

The recall affects 9,688 Chargers for the 2011 and 2012 model years. The problems could lead to a loss of visibility or braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posting.

In some police cars, the low beam headlights may fail because of an overheated bulb harness connector. In other vehicles, the antilock brake and electronic stability system may stop working due to an overheated power distribution center.

Chrysler will relocate the ABS/ESC fuse and replace the headlamp jumper harness. Chrysler said it is not aware of any accidents, injuries or fires due to either condition.

The issues occur when police cars are exposed to severe conditions such as long periods of driving at a high speed, evasive driving during training exercises and extended idling, Chrysler said in a statement.

The headlamp problem was spotted in late August and led to changes at Brampton Assembly Plant, where Chrysler builds the Charger. In December, a state police car in Michigan showed repeated loss of ABS/ESC system power.

Blown Head Gasket

This van's water pump went out and we replaced it before Nov. We also had to replace the idler pulley(?) and serpentine belt shortly after that. Then, the temperature gauge kept jumping to HOT every time you started it. It would sound like something was boiling under the hood. I would shut it off immediately and nothing was ever found leaking or pouring out of it. I haven't started it in awhile. Does you have any ideas? I talked to a couple of people and the first thing they mentioned was the thermostat, but complained that it was allot of work to change in this vehicle.One of my friends also said it could be a blown head gasket. Does this sound like the symptom and how do I repair it. I really need my van fixed. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! ! Thanks, Tammy

RESPONSE: It would have been good practice to replace the thermostat when you changed the water pump. My guess is the thermostat is sticking closed. The boiling noise you hear is probably the coolant returning to the overflow tank. It is usually not that hard of a job to change it. Most anyone with a little Read Entire Article

Engine fans not comming on. Overheating Ford Focus

I had problem with my cooling system. After I traced out, I found out that my cooling fan is not working properly. At first, I thought it didn't work at all. But after testing the relay, it is in fact, working. So I went to the Temp Sensor, thinking it has to be the problem. But the Auto Shop was unable to even locate the sensor, they really sucks. However, now I just notice it wasn't even the sensor's fault. The cooling fan will only turn on when the AC is on. And it will turn off as well. That indicates that the sensor gotta be working; if not the fan should either stay on or off the whole time/ it shouldn't cycle if it is not working. I am not really a electrical guy. Can any of you guys tell me where the problem is? I am suspecting the electrical wirings between the cooling system and the ac system are theultimate blame. Am I right? Answer: I have good news for you. The problem you describe, and in EXACTLY the way you've described it, sounds like your cooling fan blower resistor has burned out. This is NOT to be confused with your car's climate control blower resistor pertaining to the four speed settings. What is probably happening is you are not getting any LOW speed cooling fan operation, when commanded by the PCM. There are two cooling fans, as others have already posted. Each cooling fan has a two wire pigtail connector to it. Look BETWEEN the two cooling fans for a two wire connector exactly identical to the ones plugged into the cooling fan motors. This will be plugged into the resistor. To disconnect it, simply DEPRESS the metal clip, and pull to remove. Look for a burned out connector, as well as the resistor it plugs into. To repair this problem, you need to go to your local Ford dealer parts department to purchase the blower resistor and pigtail connector. Both of these parts are very inexpensive, even from the dealer. It is also EXTREMELY common on your car. Please keep me informed of your findings. Hope this helps. Found this answer on Yahoo answers and was Dead On !!! Melted plug and all. Ordered parts from ford and all is well.

My low coolant light came on, What could it be ?

My son's 2000 Saab 95 SE said engine coolant low so he added coolant. Here it is 2 days later and it is saying it again. When he filled it the first time he saw that there was still some coolant in the reservoir but it was low.. Any ideas how serious it could be?

Answer:

I would check two things.

1. Is there enough coolant. If there is not enough coolant again you need to check if the coolant is leaking out. You can rent a pressure tester from Autozone to find leaks. It's very simple to use and very effective. It's a radiator cap with a hand held pump attached, you take your cap off and attach the pump. Then pump and listen for leaks (done with car off so leaks are easy to find).

2. Coolant level sensor. If you have enough coolant, yet the light is still coming on then the sensor is bad. The sensor should be located on the reservoir, if you have coolant then it's giving a false reading.

wrangler is overheating and has an entire new cooling system.

Question:

wrangler Jeep 4.0, my 94 wrangler is overheating and has an entire new cooling system. it now is idling rough and stalls out. whats wrong? replaced the entire cooling system. was fine for a month now it overheats again and idles rough and dies

Answer;

This is a classic sign of a blown head gasket. To confirm this, have a compression test done. All cylinders should be within 20 psi of each other. If not, you have a blown head gasket. Have the head check for cracks once removed to be on the safe side.

Overheating Diagnostics

what are possible reason for water getting in the engine

Some of the most common causes are a bad head gasket or depending on the vehicle it could be an intake gasket leaking. Some other causes could be a cracked head or a cracked block causing water to get into the engine. If it just a very little bit of water and you are not loosing coolant it could be just condensation. You should have the vehicle pressure tested and depending on the results from that you may need to do a compression test.

It over heated for like 5 minutes blowing white smoke out the back and will not turn over anymore

QUESTION: I have a 1998 Oldsmobile Regency with a 3.8L V6 SFI engine. It over heated for like 5 minutes one day then started blowing white smoke out the back and will not turn over anymore. It has been tested for a blown head gasket and that isn't what it is. A mechanic has it now and has replaced the Plenum gasket, injector O'rings, Lower intake manifold, and spark plugs, the plugs being the last thing tried. It started twice for him but when he turns it off it wont turn over again. We also tried a new battery. Someone told me something about a restart button. Sounds crazy to me but I'm no mechanic. Already Tried: Injector O'rings, Plenum gasket, Lower intake manifold, Battery, Spark plugs. This car was babied by my grandmother never missed an oil change or anything. Plugs being the last thing tried... Or the newest part on the car rather. ANSWER: The first test that needs to be performed is a compression test. This is how you determine if the head gasket is blown. The initial description of what happened is classic to a blown head gasket. Take the guess work out of it and let the compression test prove it. All cylinder pressure should be within 20 psi of each other, if not... you have a blown head gasket or cracked head(cracked head is not very common). If the starter just doesn't turn over then it can be tested by checking for power at the starter with the key in start position. If it has power and does nothing (no click, no nothing) then the starter needs to be replaced. If it gives a hard click. then the engine may be vapor locked from coolant entering the cylinders.... so back to the first thing first. Have a compression test performed(which should have been the first thing done). If the mechanic says he can not perform this, then you need to take it to a different shop.

How hard is it to replace a raidiator on a 1999 Acura Integra

Question: My question is how hard is it to replace a radiator on a 99 Integra if I decided to do it myself? Answer: It is about a 2 hour job, I would say if you have not done this kind of work before I would leave it to a mechanic because this is kind of a tight fit and can be a bit difficult. 1) Disconnect the negative battery cable. CAUTION Do not open the radiator drain-cock or remove the radiator cap when the cooling system is hot and under pressure. This can cause serious burns from hot, pressurized coolant. Allow a sufficient amount of time for the cooling system to cool down before opening up the system. 2) Loosen the radiator drain plug and, using a large capacity container, drain the cooling system. 3) Remove the radiator cap. 4) Disconnect the upper radiator hose.

NOTE: It is recommended that each clamp be match-marked to the hose. Observe the marks and reinstall the clamps in exactly the same position when reinstalling the radiator. 5) Remove the radiator hoses. 6) Label and disengage the wiring from the thermosensors and the electric fan assemblies. 7) For vehicles with automatic trans-axles, disconnect the oil cooler lines at the radiator. Plug the trans-axle ports and the hose ends to contain the fluid and prevent contamination. 8) Remove the radiator. Be careful not to damage the radiators cooling fins while removing the unit. While the radiator is not heavy, it may be awkward. Use both hands to steady it during removal and installation 9) Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure. Refill the cooling system with the proper type and amount of coolant.

NOTE: You may need to bleed the air out of the system to avoid the possibility of a trapped air pocket that may cause engine overheating.

was told that I have a "leak" at the right hand corner in the rear of the engine

QUESTION:

I have a 2001 Caddy DTS and was told that I have a "leak" at the right hand corner in the rear of the engine..The car has never overheated and it has 84000 miles on it....I have seen the "low coolant" light come on and the coolant was in fact low....Is there a "quick fix" like stop leak or what? I do see coolant on the ground and I have noticed a "small" shift in the temp gage going toward an increase in temp.

ANSWER:

If the leak is so small that you do not see any fluid on the ground after it sets then there is a product that you can add to the coolant system that will take care of this issue. This magical product is called "Bar's Stop Leak", it has been around for years and has served automotive mechanic's well. You can purchase it at just about any auto parts store. Follow as directed on the label. You can try this product with a 50/50 chance that it will take care of the issue. You have only the purchase price of the product to loose at this point. If it does not take care of the issue, then you will need to have the engine coolant system pressure tested, the exact location of the leak diagnosed and the proper repair made.

Reference : Engine Overheating

Where is the Coolant Level Sensor located ? My radiator low light intermittently comes on and goes off

QUESTION:

I have a 1998 Mercury Mystique GS. Where is the Coolant Level Sensor located ? My radiator low light intermittently comes on and goes off within 2 minutes of starting up and driving. I've checked the coolant level and it is full, temperature gage is normal, no antifreeze leaks under the car. I'm thinking I have a bad sensor. How expensive is it to replace? Today, driving to work it stayed on constantly - about a 20 mile commute. Already Tried: Checked coolant level, it was full. Topped off coolant level and slightly overfilled it. Checked for hose leaks - none. Checked under car for leaks - none. Replaced upper radiator hose a year ago so am not worried about circulation problem. Temperature gage is normal and engine doesn't run hot.

ANSWER:

The Coolant level Sensor is located in the overflow tank. Look for the electrical wires and there it is. You may just be able to add some coolant to the overflow tank to take care of the issue. It does not read the radiator level, just the overflow level. If you need to have it replaced, it should cost under $100.00 parts and labor.

When the fluid in the cooling system heats up, it expands, causing the pressure to build up. The cap is the only place where this pressure can escape, so the setting of the spring on the cap determines the maximum pressure in the cooling system. When the pressure reaches 15 psi, the pressure pushes the valve open, allowing coolant to escape from the cooling system. This coolant flows through the overflow tube into the bottom of the overflow tank. This arrangement keeps air out of the system. When the radiator cools back down, a vacuum is created in the cooling system that pulls open another spring loaded valve, sucking water back in from the bottom of the overflow tank to replace the water that was expelled.

Best gas mileage vehicles - top 10 in U.S.

America has been broadsided with the $4 gallon and Americans are answering back with buying more fuel efficient vehicles. The Ford F-150 used to be the number one selling vehicle for the past 17 years but not anymore. In May of 2008 that all changed. Now Honda and Toyota has surpassed the mark and have sold more Civics and Corollas than the F-150.

This is a sign to the manufactures and they are taking measures by putting more efforts into creating new Hybrids and spending more on Research for the future "Gas Savers". There strategy so far has been to make the vehicle with less weight and Hybrid Technology .

The following is a list of the Top 10 most fuel efficient vehicles in the U.S. compiled by Car and Driver :

1. Toyota Prius 2. Honda Civic Hybrid 3. Smart Fortwo 4. Nissan Altima Hybrid 5. Toyota Camry Hybrid 6. Volkswagen Jetta TDI 7. 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid 8. Toyota Yaris 9. Mini Cooper/Clubman 10. Honda Fit

my car is over heating and i put in a new thermerstat

Question: I have a 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier and my car is over heating and i put in a new thermostat and i changed the two radiator hoses but it still over heats and smoking. Already Tried: changed the thermostat replace both radiator hoses Answer: If the some is coming from the exhaust, then you have a blown head gasket. If the smoke is coming from the engine, you have a leak... you will need to have a pressure test performed to find the leak. most likely the radiator or water pump as they are the most common. If the no smoke, just gauge going too high, make sure the fan is coming on. Engine Overheating Diagnostics

Smell antifreeze?

Question: We have a 2001 Chevy Venture. Tonight after I got home, I could slightly smell antifreeze. However, there is NO leak anywhere! (That I can see). The temp gauge is fine...ran in the "low" range all day. Any ideas what it could be? Answer: 99% certain the problem is an intake manifold gasket leak. FYI: GM has lost a lawsuit against them for this and are paying up to $800.00 to get it fixed. see link below for full article. GM Dex-Cool Lawsuit Settlement How to Replace Lower Intake Manifold Gasket

When it runs hot, it will not go in reverse

Question: I have a 1983 Ford Econoline box truck with a 351. I have changed the water pump, spark plugs, oil change, thermostat and exhaust system. The muffler pipe was turning orange before I changed it. But the engine is still running hot. When it runs hot, it will not go in reverse. Could you tell me what else I could do about it running hot? Already Tried: water pump, spark plugs, oil change, radiator flush, changed exhaust system Answer: 1) Have your ignition timing set/adjusted (should make a huge difference) Excessive ignition timing will cause an engine to run hot and can make the exhaust glow red/orange 2) Check/Replace the clutch on the clutch fan(common) or install an electric fan