I have a 97 neon sohc. My issue is the car drives so so right now. but on monday when i picked up my son from my in-laws i get back in and turn on the car and the thermostat is almost at full HOT. So of cource we roll down the windows and turn on the heat (chich sucks in AZ when it is 108+ out) and it goes down, so i decide to just change from hot air to cool air but not AC. well not paying attion i turned on the AC and the car is fine, no overheating or anything. Then when i get back in to the car from getting my daughter from day care the wife and i get back in and the needle goes all the way to the HOT line. I give it a min and it starts to go down. I get home and check the fluids and everything is fine. this has now happened for 3 days we even tried no az on the way to pick up my sone and it still did the same thing. I NEED HELP ON WHAT THE HELL TO DO.

also the check engine light is on and i get code 12 and 33. i do know what the codes are. i don't THINK (and the key wiork is THINK) that they have anything to do with it but i am a computer dork not a big car person.

thanks so much.

 

Q: My neon is overheating...what should I check?
A: There are several reasons: bad fan relay, low coolant, defective radiator cap, clogged radiator, bad Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS), bad thermostat, radiator fans not working properly, headgasket leaking, radiator fins are damaged, and faulty water pump. (Info courtesy of spudsterier and FuzzRacer)

Code 33 is A/C clutch relay circuit.

 

sorry i ment 32 EGR system failure. Coolant is good check that, Rad cap is brand new ad working, Rad fins are all fine it is new less than a year old.

CTS would that bring up a code?
the water pump is new as well it is 1.5 years old.

as for the fans. they don't now (and never have ) turned on when i turn off the car. i thought that might be it but since i have ad the car for 2 years and they have never turned on i did not think to look more in to that. the fuse under the hood for them is fine. and there is no leak near or around the head gasket. i think the thermostat may be going but that has been for a month or so now and this problem is only 4 days onld now

 

CTS may or may not bring up a code.

 

is there any easy way to test if it is good or not?