2003 Overheating when driving (Any speed)
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2003 Overheating when driving (Any speed)
My girlfriend has a 2003 G35 and it had been sitting for around 3 weeks because we have been driving my car primarily.
Before we left it sitting it was running perfectly fine, but yesterday we started it up and drove about 4-5 miles (mostly in town driving) at the end of the trip I noticed that it was showing temps on the really high end of the temp gauge. I pulled over and there was fluid spraying out of the radiator cap. I let it sit for maybe 3 minutes then started it up when I made sure there was fluid left and the temp was back to normal (1/2 on the temp gauge). But as soon as I started driving again it rose to about 3/4.
Well after it set for about an hour at the destination, a friend an I came out to take a look at it. We started it up and it warmed up to about half heat on the temp gauge and held steady for about 20 minutes. One fan would kick on and off as needed (I assume the other one kicks on when the AC is running) and it held steady. When I left the place thinking that maybe it was a fluke, about a mile down the road (going speeds at about 30-45 mph) it started rising on the temp gauge again, but then it would drop (but never all the way down to 1/2) and then rise again slowly making the climb to the high end again. It never fully overheats.
So what could this be? I was thinking thermostat, but it seems kind of odd that it works at idol fine. On another note, the antifreeze levels are fine but it does appear that the previous owner mixed green and orange antifreeze and I'm not sure what that could have done, if anything, to the thermostat.
Thank you for your help.
Before we left it sitting it was running perfectly fine, but yesterday we started it up and drove about 4-5 miles (mostly in town driving) at the end of the trip I noticed that it was showing temps on the really high end of the temp gauge. I pulled over and there was fluid spraying out of the radiator cap. I let it sit for maybe 3 minutes then started it up when I made sure there was fluid left and the temp was back to normal (1/2 on the temp gauge). But as soon as I started driving again it rose to about 3/4.
Well after it set for about an hour at the destination, a friend an I came out to take a look at it. We started it up and it warmed up to about half heat on the temp gauge and held steady for about 20 minutes. One fan would kick on and off as needed (I assume the other one kicks on when the AC is running) and it held steady. When I left the place thinking that maybe it was a fluke, about a mile down the road (going speeds at about 30-45 mph) it started rising on the temp gauge again, but then it would drop (but never all the way down to 1/2) and then rise again slowly making the climb to the high end again. It never fully overheats.
So what could this be? I was thinking thermostat, but it seems kind of odd that it works at idol fine. On another note, the antifreeze levels are fine but it does appear that the previous owner mixed green and orange antifreeze and I'm not sure what that could have done, if anything, to the thermostat.
Thank you for your help.
1) both fans should run together. If AC is on they should engage within 30-45 sec despite vehicle being at normal operating temp. Fans are susceptible to going bad.
2) If fans do not fix it change your thermostat. These are cheap, pretty easy to swap as well. I would change this at the same time. Its less than $20 for a new one from the dealership.
When you do open the system make sure you bleed the air out, this can be a pain but there are plenty of helpful tips in MANY MANY threads on this site. just do a simple search sorted by RELEVANCE.
2) If fans do not fix it change your thermostat. These are cheap, pretty easy to swap as well. I would change this at the same time. Its less than $20 for a new one from the dealership.
When you do open the system make sure you bleed the air out, this can be a pain but there are plenty of helpful tips in MANY MANY threads on this site. just do a simple search sorted by RELEVANCE.
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