Overheating - Should I return the car? Urgent!

[mikey s]

Not sure if been mentioned but maybe a knackered coolant temperature sensor. Also maybe worth checking all pipes and connections are in good order I.e not perished splits where air could get in. Also check the pressure cap the seal inside for deterioration. Reading things from the fiesta Haynes manual may also be worth getting one of them as they come in very handy! Hope you sort it soon

 

[Cleo66]

Thanks for your ideas, was going to go back to the garage tomorrow and find out how much it would cost to change the radiator, like you say it is the only thing left!

I was wondering about the sensors and dodgy wiring too Scotty, but if it was dodgy dash wiring would that cause the fan to kick in and the temperature coming out of the heater is boiling hot on my legs - hot enough to be uncomfortable?

When I flushed the coolant I got all the air locks out of the system and topped up the fluid as the air came out so think it is OK.

The coolant temperature sensor has been mentioned before in another post I think, but I will get the garage to test that for me or change it Mikey, they did check all pipes at the garage and told me that they were in good condition when they did the service, MOT and changed the Cam belt. I also replaced the pressure cap on the expansion tank before Xmas in the vain hope that it would help after I changed the HCV. I have got my Haynes Fiesta manual and have looked through it but I am stumped now! And I am a novice at this, though I can do the basics and I am not afraid to get my hands dirty some things are beyond my capabilities at the moment in any case!

But as I have already spent a small fortune on the car I may as well continue until it is fixed! It needs 4 new tyres which are being fitted tomorrow and brakes are 70% and 50% worn front and back! So they will be the next on the list after that!

Thanks again, I will keep this thread updated as it may prove useful for someone else in the future if I ever get it sorted!

 

[yippeekiay]

I'd give the radiator a good coat of looking at for damage before replacing it. It may have been repaired with radweld or the like in the past which can (but very rarely) cause blockages but my experience using it has been nothing but good on previous cars and it can be apparently good for the system as it's supposed to help prevent corrosion and it constantly repairs small leaks but it could be a factor if it's built up anywhere.

Not sure if you can get an air line on it and blow some decent pressure through it to clear anything that may be in there, out.

 

[Shownofear]

Hi Guys, new to the site and new to Puma Ownership although when i was a car trader i sold a few.

I sold one to my friends mum though, and she had all the problems you are experiencing... and do you know what cured it?

THE HEATER MATRIX!

Random i know, but this solved the over heating problems, after the thermostat, radiator and coolant change.

I sold one to my best friend also (big mistake) and her's is now doing the same thing, but she has lost the will to live with it, so she is auctioning it tomorrow.. and she calls it Bi Polar, one minute its fine, next its taking an overheating attack.

Hopefully this is helpful?

 

[yan man]

Sighhhhh how sad that a similar thing is happening to my beloved puma, millemium edition which i bought about a month ago. Ohhh how i love this car until i noticed the fan sounded louder than it should switched off the engine turned it on again the sound disappeared. Then inevitably it came on again and realised my engine coolant was low so bought some more and waited till the car cooled down before putting it in. Then it felt like it was back to normal, driving it for a while now (cpl weeks) and the fan started up again today! im really hoping there isnt a major problem as ive just managed to get the car due to an insurance claim and my last car was problems from the week after i got it and it was never the same again! I am going up to Scotland for the Edinburgh festival and intent to drive but this little annoyance is slightly worrying me any ideas people? would be much appreciated

Yan man

 

[Cherie]

Have you checked your coolant level again? If it's gone down, you could have a leak somewhere, and it's as simple as keeping it topped up until you can investigate where the leak is.

 

[Cleo66]

:grin: HI Everyone

Just to update you on my Puma problem as I started this thread I think I had better let you know what is going on!

You have seen previously that I have had lots of bits changed, replaced, etc and I was really worried about the overheating problem especially with the warmer weather coming up. However, I tentatively took it on a 200 mile round trip and it happened to be on a very hot day and so had my air conditioning on ice cold :grin: and most of the way was motorway driving (which is where I normally had the problem going over 50mph!) and the weird thing is that the temperature gauge didnt even flicker away from the middle for the whole journey!

So since then I have driven it with the air conditioning on warm or cold and I dont have a problem with the fan kicking in too much or the temp gauge fluctuating. BUT if I turn off the air con and put the heater back on full heat like I had it on in the Winter the temp gauge goes to about 3/4 SOMETIMES after I have driven along a straight part of the road at 60mph and then braked to turn left off the road. The fan kicks in (I presume when it needs to) and goes off again when it is cooler. The temperature gauge is more static than it was when I first got my Puma and now I drive her around completely happily and relaxed and I now have faith in her that she wont let me down and that is a good feeling.

So I dont know really what was wrong with her when I got her and I am still p***** off about the garage where I bought her lying to me and then trying to fob me off when I complained.

I think it was probably a combination of things, she had only done 34,000 miles and only been driven a couple of miles a day round town, the coolant needed replacing, the thermostat, water pump, radiator cap, expansion tank cap were all replaced along with the HCV and of course the big one, the Cam belt, though I knew about that before I bought her.

I'm sorry if someone else has issues like this as I can't help much with my experience of what I have been through but I am so glad that I found this forum and would like to say a big Thank You to everyone who helped me with suggestions and encouraged me to keep going and persevere with her, thankfully for me it all turned out good in the end and I have a fantastic Puma which makes me smile everytime I drive it!

Thank you

Cleo :grin:

 

[yippeekiay]

Glad to see your happy with it - although it'd still have me continuously wondering why it doesn't behave itself when the air con is off. With all the new parts it should be keeping itself cool except when idling in heavy traffic or on a very hot day....weird eh? If you've found a solution to keep you happy and the car's running sweet then good on you - just make sure you tell the next owner as we'll be going through all this again in the future at some point....lol. k:

 

[Cleo66]

Thanks yippeekiay - I am happy with it now as she does behave herself now - its not every time that the air con is off - it perhaps happens once or twice a month with the temp gauge flickers and the fan doesnt come on all the time like it used to after every journey home from work. It is very weird like everyone has said before, normally cars get hot when stuck in traffic or on a very hot day but she is absolutely fine in those circumstances, it only happens rarely when I have driven fast!

Anyway don't worry about me telling the next owner (though I would, as I couldn't do that to someone else) as there won't be a next one, I am keeping her till she dies!

 

[groveada]

Heya guys I'm having the same issue with my millennium edition puma. I had the hcv changed in November not sure where he got it from as I had a friend find the parts and fit them for me.

So far I've checked compressions. Flushed the coolant several times and checked for any leaks of any sort.

My heating works at first but after a min or 2 it goes cold again and then the temperature shoots up to about 3/4 just under red. Ive seen a few people talking about the heater matrix being a problem would this be it or have I got something else wring with the car?