my car "overheats" when it gets to normal operating temp, all of a sudden the needle goes the whole way to H and the alarm goes off, but when you hit the throttle it goes down a little then goes right back up, fans kick on, ive replaced water pump, thermostat, and the radiator cap and still it contines....what else could it be?

 

Check the ECT or engine coolant temp sensor.

If it all the sudden shoots up and everything is running you either have a plugged radiator or just a bad sensor. If it is truly all the sudden then you I would suspect a sensor.

Does it smell hot when it does this??? Idling it should still take some time to overheat.

 

Ummm...make sure you radiator fans kick on EVERYTIME it gets hot like that.I've bought thermostats that were bad from the store also.Other thoughts are a clogged radiator, or a leak causing fluid to get low.Keep feeding us info, Im sure we can figure it out...good luck

 

it's also good to spend the extra money and get all your replacement parts fromt he dealer
it has never done me wrong and i'm pretty sure it's the most reliable


i really hate the fan..it's so damn loud..hahaha

 

I have the same problem. Once the car gets to the normal temperature, right about the center between cold and hot. When it gets there it will sit there for a few mins and then the fan will kick on. Like one or two seconds after the fan kicks on the temp gauge pegs out and the warning beeper goes on. Then the temp gauge gradually starts to go down to where it usually sits and the beeper goes off. This happens if the car is idling without the air on or with it on. It is full of coolant and I just put a third thermostat in. I checked and made sure the thermostat is facing the right direction and the vent is on the top. The car has a new radiator around five thousand miles ago. I can drive all over town or down the highway with no problems at all. Hellllllp.

Matt

 

Err, change your radiator

 

Errr The radiator has five thousand miles on it maybe. Said that in my post

 

mine ended up being the coolant temp sensor that it by the cam position sensor, unpluged it, pluged it back and and it was fine.

 

start with the temp sensor, my one race car the engine can be at 260 degrees and the stock gauge still is only to half way up & it never triggers the fans. i suspect the sensor being a sudden jump, you cant get anything hot that fast unless you have an airlock problem or blown head gasket casing air lock.. then youll get it shooting up like that when the extremel hot water finally hit the CTS

 

Well i changed the temp sensor yesterday and took the car for a drive to warm it up. Got home and let it cycle three times. Fan was running well, thermostat was opening when the fan kicked in, and the water was going by the cover pretty fast. After the three cycles it had not pegged out the sensor, so I was very happy. Girlfriend runs to the store about an hour after that and now it does it when you are driving it. I figured ok theres an air bubble. Took the cap off and coolant seemed full, so i started the car and when the thermostat opened i started adding water to make sure it was really full and to let any air bubble out that might be there.

After all that I went for a drive in it and its still doing the same thing. I'm stumped. Do I change the water pump now or what do I do?

Thanks,
Matt