Q: Car overheating

asked by on January 10, 2018

My car is in the shop because of overheating. The mechanic changed out the water pump, thermostat, and sensor. There is not a leak in the hoses or radiator. Any suggestions?

My car has 199000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi Susan. Thanks for contacting us today. If the car is still overheating after replacing the water pump, thermostat and temperature sensor, then there could a several reasons why. First, and most common (even with many auto repair shops) is that properly bleeding the coolant system is vital to ensure correct operation. Most of the time, continued overheating is caused by air bubbles or other obstructions inside the coolant system (such as a heater core) that will cause overheating. Second, if the vehicle overheated for extended time, it’s possible the head gasket may have been damaged. The easiest way to determine this would be to check the oil. If the engine oil is milky, that’s coolant mixed with the oil. Finally, if the coolant is not mixed at the proper 50/50 ratio of coolant to distilled water, continued overheating is possible.

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