Car's Broken Down For The 1st Time

Lexus Jim · June 18, 2006

Absolutely gutted, the wife has just brought back my trusty IS200 saying it overheated in heavy traffic, steam coming out from under the bonnet and everything. They had to pull over and let the engine cool down for ages, then they turned round and brough the car home and it was fine all the way back (no traffic tho I presume).

I've had the coolant changed recently and the radiator was full and still is. Does anybody know why this would of happened? is the water pump on the way out or is there possibly a blokage or the thermostat knackered. Any ideas will be gratefully recieved. I just really gutted that my lex has broken down.

A sad day for me idead

Thanks

Jim

Gord · June 18, 2006

Absolutely gutted, the wife has just brought back my trusty IS200 saying it overheated in heavy traffic, steam coming out from under the bonnet and everything. They had to pull over and let the engine cool down for ages, then they turned round and brough the car home and it was fine all the way back (no traffic tho I presume).
I've had the coolant changed recently and the radiator was full and still is. Does anybody know why this would of happened? is the water pump on the way out or is there possibly a blokage or the thermostat knackered. Any ideas will be gratefully recieved. I just really gutted that my lex has broken down.

A sad day for me idead

Thanks

Jim

Hi Jim, did she look under the bonnet to see where the steam was coming from ?

If you had coolant changed it might just be air-lock in your system.

Monster-Mat · June 18, 2006

yep sounds like an air lock in the system

Lexus Jim · June 18, 2006

Thanks guys,

how do you get rid of the air lock, run it with the rad cap off or something?

Thanks

Jim

P38Aaron · June 18, 2006

there is quite a large thread on this...people have parked it up hill with the front of the car higher (even fork lifted the front) and let the car tick over with the rad cap loosened so as the air can escape.

Im sure somebody else will instruct further.

Lexus Jim · June 18, 2006

Thanks, I'll do a search

Gord · June 18, 2006

Thanks guys,
how do you get rid of the air lock, run it with the rad cap off or something?

Thanks

Jim

If you want to pop over to mine ? can sort it for you Jim, you know my number :D

star a · June 18, 2006

i'd be more inclined to suspect the cooling fan,

carry out a test,

warm it up, let it idle, and keep an eye on the temp whilst checking the fan kicks in.

DINO · June 19, 2006

Thanks guys,
how do you get rid of the air lock, run it with the rad cap off or something?

Thanks

Jim

Hi, To get rid of an air lock simply turn the car on and put the heating on FULl blast on HOT for quite a while. You can drive it like this for a while as well approx 1hr. Lexus did mine and told me to do the above.

Lexus Jim · June 19, 2006

Thanks for all your replies guys and especially to Gord for his over the phone diagnostics. Turns out the temperature switch on the radiator is knackered, turns out the wife had the climate control switched off (which normally always stays on) and so the fans weren't kicking in to cool the engine. Ordered new one. £50 odd tho

Rob · June 19, 2006

Thanks guys,

how do you get rid of the air lock, run it with the rad cap off or something?

Thanks

Jim

Hi, To get rid of an air lock simply turn the car on and put the heating on FULl blast on HOT for quite a while. You can drive it like this for a while as well approx 1hr. Lexus did mine and told me to do the above.

dont really see why because from what i remember the heater matrix is circulated all the time, there isnt a shut off valve so coolant goes thru it all the time - wont make any difference if the heating is on or not.