2000 Focus wagon - Overheating at 40K.......sound familiar?

Started smelling antifreeze on the way home last night. Sure enough, approaching a hill, noticed the temp. gauge rising fast near the red zone. Got home, but noticed the next morning that the resovoir was well below the cold fill line. No fluid was even dectectable. Just had an oil change and the usual fluid fills about a month ago, so I'm puzzled? This sounds similar to a post by focus_owner a while back with the same car and mileage, yet his coolant tank was full. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Reply to
b2v
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I had the same problem and the dealer replaced (according to the invoice) the AC Resistor Assembly. The fans would not come on unless I turned the AC on. I am assuming that you have a Zetec engine? I did not loose any coolant. I was told that the Zetec engine is pretty bullet proof for overheating problems and has a feature built into the computer system to protect the engine in the case over an severe overheat condition.

You might want to check the dip stick to see if there is oil in the coolant, considering lost coolant any how you might consider taking the car in and have them check it out especially for a warped head . Those are my thoughts

Reply to
Henri

Another clue: I noticed something else a week ago that might have been a precurser to this particular problem. We were having some unseasonably cool weather, and when we tried to turn the heater on....nothing, then roughly 15-20 minutes later, it came on without warning. ???

Reply to
b2v

I had similar problems with an old Dodge Colt I used to own. The thermostat was shot. I don't know if this is a common problem with Foci but its a common enough problem with any car and that's what it sounds like to me. Erin

Reply to
Erin Peterson

Could be the head gasket too on second thought. My wife's Pontiac Montana just blew a head gasket (which was thankfully still under warranty) and one of the things symptomatic of the problem was that it was burning coolant. Well not literally I don't think but I had to top up the overflow every week or so.

Both of these problems make me appreciate my 2002 Focus SE Wagon even more. :)

Erin

Reply to
Erin Peterson

Sounds like you had an airlock in the system.

As the air gets hot, it forced the water out the system (hence the antifreeze smell) and then there was no water left to cool the system so it heated up.

The heater thing helps to confirm this.

Heater matrixes tend to run cold if the coolent level is low or if there is air in the system.

Get it filled by someone who knows what they are doing and it should be fine.

Alex

Reply to
Alex Harrington

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