Why does your Trax’s engine overheat? Causes and solutions (2023)

FAQs

Why is my Chevy Trax engine overheating? ›

The most common reasons a Chevrolet Trax is overheating are a coolant leak (water pump, radiator, hose etc.), the radiator fan, or a failed thermostat. Coolant leak (water pump, radiator, hose etc.)

Common causes include poor coolant concentration or low coolant level, failed thermostat, bad water pump, coolant leak, low engine oil level, faulty radiator fan, cracked radiator, loose hose clamp, worn or cracked coolant hose, or a broken belt.

Engines can overheat for many reasons. In general, it's because something's wrong within the cooling system and heat isn't able to escape the engine compartment. The source of the issue could include a cooling system leak, faulty radiator fan, broken water pump, or clogged coolant hose.

If the coolant tank is full, the problem may be electrical or mechanical in nature, in which case a tow to the nearest repair shop is definitely in order. A leaking hose, worn or broken fan belt, bad water pump, or malfunctioning thermostat may be the culprit.

What is the number one cause of an overheating issue? ›

Leaks are the #1 reason a vehicle begins to overheat. Leaks in hoses, the radiator, water pump, thermostat housing, heater core, head gasket, freeze plugs and a few other things can all lead to problems with the vehicle's cooling system.

COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAULTY: SYMPTOMS

Higher idle speed. Increased fuel consumption. Poor starting behaviour.

Your radiator is likely already damaged, but in the early stages of overheating, it can be repaired. The more you drive on it, the more you're likely to see burst hoses burst, failed radiator stems, and exploding cooling systems.

How long can a car overheat before damage occurs? It only takes 30-60 seconds of overheating for permanent damage to infiltrate a vehicle. As soon as you notice signs of overheating, you need to act. Failure to do so might result in troubles like coolant leaks, damaged radiator caps, and a faulty cooling fan.

Driving your car when it's overheating can cause serious – and sometimes permanent – damage to your engine, so it's best to stop driving as soon as possible. Pull over and away from oncoming traffic, then turn off the engine. Open your hood (or call for help).

If there is steam coming out from under the car's hood, Consumer Reports advises that you should not attempt to lift the hood, adding that it typically takes at least 30 minutes for a hot engine to cool down.

If you continue to drive an overheated car, you run the risk of warping your cylinder heads. This result is decreased power, misfiring, and excessive oil burning. However, cylinder heads aren't the only things in your engine that can melt; other components like sensors, belts, and wiring are also at risk.

May cause overheating. Also, a dirty air filter will not be able to provide the oxygen needed to provide a proper air-fuel mix. This can cause the temperature of your engine to rise to dangerous levels. Eventually, your vehicle's engine could overheat which could lead you to the side of the road.

With the engine off, open your hood and locate the water pump pulley. With gloves on, grab it and wiggle it back and forth. There should be no movement, if there is, this along with the noise is a good indication you may have a water pump problem.

How much does it cost to fix an overheated engine? ›

The average cost to fix an overheating car varies, typically between $100 to $1,500. Since several components help cool your engine and car, you'll need to find out what causes the problem to get a better idea of the cost.

Start your car's engine and allow it to idle. Look through the radiator filler neck to see if the coolant flows. At this time, it should not be flowing as your car has not reached the operating temperature to cause the thermostat to open. If you find the coolant is flowing, it means the thermostat valve is open.

If the pump operator is able to bear the heat while touching the external parts of the pump, then the pump is working normally. On the other hand, if the pump is too hot to touch or you can spot steam coming out from the pump, then you can quickly know that it's overheating.

Can I Still Drive with a Bad Thermostat? The easy answer to this question is no. While your car may be physically able to move and get you from Point A to Point B, you will want to refrain from operating your vehicle. This can lead to more parts of your vehicle being damaged, especially if the engine is overheating.

However, most car experts recommend car thermostat replacement after 10 years. However, this is an optimistic number. Thermostats are more likely to stop working much earlier than a decade. Some factors that induce an early thermostat failure include harsh weather, rough driving, bad engine or thermostat parts.

It gets even more concerning and confusing when car overheating suddenly returns to normal. This phenomenon can happen for many reasons, like a bad thermostat, a faulty radiator, or a coolant leak. As such, it's best to get your car checked by a professional— like RepairSmith!

If your vehicle's engine overheats, it could be due to failing spark plugs. Overheating can happen for a number of reasons that can cause your engine to be too hot. This can harm your engine parts and lead to expensive repairs down the line.

Also called heat illnesses, there are several forms of hyperthermia. Heat cramps are fairly mild, whereas heat exhaustion is more severe. Heatstroke is the most serious form of hyperthermia and can be life-threatening.

The national cost for a coolant temperature sensor replacement in 2023 is between $96 and $306 with an average of $188.

Is there a fuse for coolant temperature sensor? ›

There isn't one per se. There will be a fused wire with voltage to the instrument cluster (your owners manual should indicate which fuse), but the temperature sensor is providing a variable "resistance to ground," which the temperature gauge in the dash is reflecting.

If your car is overheating, you should definitely not drive it. This could be due to several factors, including low coolant levels or a faulty cooling system. Driving an overheated car puts additional strain on the engine, leading to further damage and costly repairs down the road.

Leaks are the #1 reason a vehicle begins to overheat. Leaks in hoses, the radiator, water pump, thermostat housing, heater core, head gasket, freeze plugs and a few other things can all lead to problems with the vehicle's cooling system.

Put your car in neutral or park and then rev the engine. This makes the fan and the water pump work faster, which pulls more air and more water through your car's radiator. This increased circulation cools down the engine. Pull over and open the hood.

Your radiator is likely already damaged, but in the early stages of overheating, it can be repaired. The more you drive on it, the more you're likely to see burst hoses burst, failed radiator stems, and exploding cooling systems.

The average cost to fix an overheating car varies, typically between $100 to $1,500. Since several components help cool your engine and car, you'll need to find out what causes the problem to get a better idea of the cost.

If the coolant tank is full, the problem may be electrical or mechanical in nature, in which case a tow to the nearest repair shop is definitely in order. A leaking hose, worn or broken fan belt, bad water pump, or malfunctioning thermostat may be the culprit.

What sensor can cause a car to overheat? ›

If you notice that your engine overheats, the coolant temperature sensor could be the problem. At times, the coolant temperature switch may fail such that it starts transmitting hot signals permanently. This causes the computer to erroneously counterbalance the signal, thereby causing the engine to misfire or overheat.