Q: Coolant spills out the reservoir when I take the cap off, this occurs in the morning with a cold engine. Outside temp is 90

asked by on July 11, 2017

Coolant spills out the reservoir when I take the cap off in the morning. The temperature outside is about 90 degrees at 8 am. The spill isn't a lot but it is alarming, as I've never had this happen before. Also the car has been overheating lately, about once or twice a week. It'll over heat and run completely fine for the rest of the day. The temperature gauge will say 120 Celsius when overheating but i turn the car off and back on and the temperature will dip to about 85 Celsius in seconds. I just had the thermostat,water pump and radiator swapped out a month ago. Besides taking the lid off the coolant reservoir in the morning, the car shows no leaks. There is also no white smoke coming out the exhaust or milky substance on the oil cap. No idea what could cause the mild overheating.

My car has 95000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

I hear a clicking sound when I turn left.
It sounds like you may have a bad cv joint. I would recommend having a YourMechanic technician come out and diagnose the clicking noise (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/loud-clicking-noise-when-i-turn-the-car-inspection) and they can install a new cv joint one as well if that is in...
Battery light on and now car won't start
From what you've described, it sounds like a belt broke. All of those systems are belt-driven. A visual inspection would easily confirm this. Don't try to start your engine, as overheating is the main risk for your engine now. I'd...
My ac is blowing but not cooling
Hello. An AC that does blow cold air can be caused by many things. A few common causes are low refrigerant, a faulty pressure switch (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/ac-pressure-switch-replacement), or a bad compressor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/ac-compressor-replacement). The component responsible for blowing air is the blower...
Issues while shifting into park - 2011 Land Rover LR4
Hello. It sounds like the parking pawl inside the transmission might be failing. When an automatic transmission is put into park, it is mechanically shifted into neutral and the pawl will engage a gear connected to the output shaft of...
Interlock is installed but the car won't start and the ECM is fried. Can the interlock damage the ECM?
Hello. Though the shift interlocking system does have an input from the ECM, I have never seen one fail and cause this. Most of the time, this is caused by a bad brake pedal switch or a shift lock solenoid....
Why would my radio and speedometer stop working on my 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
Hello. If both of these issues started occurring at the same time it is because there is an issue with voltage in the system. Most of the time on this vehicle it is caused by either a low battery, a...
My air won't blow
I would recommend a suspension inspection (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/brakes-steering-and-suspension-inspection) to determine what has happened after the pot hole impact. More than likely your fan is shorted to power and the impact is unrelated but the inspection should reveal the true issue. Maybe...
ABS shuts down transmission
Check to be sure the transmission has adequate fluid. Too little fluid and the car won't move. The ABS system electronics, and the braking control that the ABS pump provides, do not have any connection to the transmission. If multiple...
I'm putting in a police interceptor motor from a Impala to a 2005 Monte Carlo but it has fly by wire
Prior to doing this work, you should confirm that the "new" vehicle configuration is certifiable insofar as Federal emissions law, that is if you intend to register the vehicle. Please see the relevant Federal EPA Engine Swap Guidance Document (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/engswitch_0.pdf)....

Related articles

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Carburetor
Common signs include reduced engine performance, black smoke coming from the exhaust, backfiring, overheating, or hard starting.
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Coolant Tube
Common signs include low coolant levels, visible coolant leaks, and engine overheating.
How to Use a BMW With Comfort Access Technology
The The BMW comfort access technology was introduced in 2002 as a keyless remote system that uses sensors to detect where the owner is in proximity to the vehicle within 1.5 meters (about 5 feet), allowing him or her to...