Overheating Issues in Daily Driving Conditions

[Superfly Snook]

They have a dummy feature and won't move unless past 240 degrees.

Does this mean the instrument panel shows the same temp reading no matter what the actual temp (below 240)? One more reason for me to get a mount for my AP and set up some gauges on it.

SloCal - I feel like something is definitely wrong with your car - it should run fine at the temps we get here in SoCal. There are plenty of owners here, in TX and AZ that routinely drive in 100+ so I think something is up and hope your service dept gets it sorted for you.

 

[Rejeme]

I think it is 240* when it hits the third bar inside the [ ] and 245* when it hits the fourth bar inside the [ ]. The stock gauge is useless and most likely your temp will be rising so fast the first thing you'll notice is a chime and an over temp light. Some cars don't have overheating issues, some do. I was among the unlucky few.

 

[staynumz]

Count me as another unlucky one. Seems to just get hot going uphill with a little boost. Cools down right away with the heater on. Guess a mishi radiator is in my future. I've heard just the mishi thermostat might take care of it but I might as well do both while I'm elbow deep in the thing

 

[M-Sport fan]

last night i went up to the snake

Mulholland??

 

[BiigMe]

Yeah I'm going to take it in this weekend and just say it's probably thermostat related but not really sure how to point out the temps are high without admitting i have an accessport.

Tell them you have an OBDii Bluetooth scanner, if you want to back it up you can get one for like $10 on Amazon, you don't have to admit to anything and you can actually show data to back it up if you want

 

[SloCal]

It's currently at the dealer and they haven't found anything yet. Fans/thermostat are good-- anything else i should ask so i don't get it back with the same problems?

They basically drove it on flat roads with no traffic in 100 degrees and the temp gauge didn't move which i expected. tomorrow they're taking it in traffic and up hills which hopefully will replicate it. still confused as to how it wasn't thermostat or fans. No coolant leaks or pressure leaks.

Also thank you to everyone who has helped so far.

 

[stuntdoogie]

This past saturday I experienced 5 bars and 233 coolant temps on my AP monitor on a 100 degree day with a/c on for the first time since I bought the car nov 13'. No dash lights or engine stall. I quickly shut ac off and temps came down bit was about 215-225 average in nyc traffic. Luckily we dont experience temps that high on the average so im not gonna stress it unless next time my engine stalls or alarms start ringing.

 

[staynumz]

Yeah flat roads probably won't get it too hot. They need a good hill to climb. Drove today though the desert. 116 degrees. Never got too hot except when I went up the Cajon pass (95*)but I find it odd that driving flat in 116 degrees the coolant temp would fluctuate between 201 and 230 degrees.

 

[SloCal]

So quick update on what i had to go through yesterday. went to pick up the car after spending 137 dollars on a rental car for four days since apparently they don't give you loaners here at Ford. I called several times asking them to take it up hills and through traffic. got a call back after 2 days with my service advisor telling me "no problems at all no overheating" i thought that was strange so asked them what temps they were logging. "OH 235-245F" not good.. so i told them to recheck radiator and thermostat and fans.. they claim there's no problems there.

Get to the dealership to pick up the car: i'll go through this in steps.

Step 1: try to charge me $80 for inspecting the brakes despite doing absolutely zero work on them.
step 2: 3 service advisors come in and stand around me in a semi-circle to explain to me how a car's coolant system works. Interesting
step 3: I explain that 240 degrees coolant is in no way normal and not within standard operating temperatures.

They try to refute this by stating that "all [their] trucks since the '80s have gone up to 240" or whatever. "that's been the norm for years."

Step 4: you can't fight stupid with stupid. i asked them if they had seen this problem. they tell me all 1.6t's run hot and they usually just let it go.

They then somehow spontaneously "found a coupon" that negated the $80 that i was not going to pay on a brake inspection.

I now have them quoted saying 235 is normal for daily driving temperatures and i told them if anything happens to the engine as a result of running at 235 I would come right back in with them on record saying that it was fine.

Not sure where to go from here. contacting Ford HQ/corporate tomorrow morning.

 

[SloCal]

Might just change the coolant to water/water wetter mix possibly install mishimoto thermostat and call it a day.

 

[stuntdoogie]

Are you getting engine stalls or dash lights/beeping?

 

[Seijou]

So quick update on what i had to go through yesterday. went to pick up the car after spending 137 dollars on a rental car for four days since apparently they don't give you loaners here at Ford. I called several times asking them to take it up hills and through traffic. got a call back after 2 days with my service advisor telling me "no problems at all no overheating" i thought that was strange so asked them what temps they were logging. "OH 235-245F" not good.. so i told them to recheck radiator and thermostat and fans.. they claim there's no problems there.

Get to the dealership to pick up the car: i'll go through this in steps.

Step 1: try to charge me $80 for inspecting the brakes despite doing absolutely zero work on them.
step 2: 3 service advisors come in and stand around me in a semi-circle to explain to me how a car's coolant system works. Interesting
step 3: I explain that 240 degrees coolant is in no way normal and not within standard operating temperatures.

They try to refute this by stating that "all [their] trucks since the '80s have gone up to 240" or whatever. "that's been the norm for years."

Step 4: you can't fight stupid with stupid. i asked them if they had seen this problem. they tell me all 1.6t's run hot and they usually just let it go.

They then somehow spontaneously "found a coupon" that negated the $80 that i was not going to pay on a brake inspection.

I now have them quoted saying 235 is normal for daily driving temperatures and i told them if anything happens to the engine as a result of running at 235 I would come right back in with them on record saying that it was fine.

Not sure where to go from here. contacting Ford HQ/corporate tomorrow morning.

FYI, previously when I had issues, I called 800.392.FORD and got a hold of someone to file a claim. Then the regional service manager called me, and also initiated contact with the Ford dealership and the service manager there. Hope they will take care of you.

 

[staynumz]

Guess it depends on whether or not 245 degrees is "acceptable" coolant temperature.

 

[WeTheNorth]

I would agree with the radiator. At 50 mph it should not matter if the fan is on or off there is enough airflow going through the system. Our radiators are tiny! I just upgraded to the mishimoto radiator this weekend and at 102 degree weather here in San Diego I went for a hard canyon cruise with the ac on. Only hit 220 max temp. In stop and go traffic these past two days I have seen only 185 as my max temp reading (I also installed the mishimoto thermostat since I was there). To check your fans have your car idling and around the 200-210 mark the fans should kick on. Since they work when you have the ac I would double check with the idle test.

How you liking the MM thermostat

 

[Pete]

Loving it in conjunction with the radiator. My temps stay in the mid 170's on highway. The highest I have seen was on a 106 degree day climbing a long grade up to temecula from San Diego with my account fully on. Only saw 194 for my coolant temp.

 

[WeTheNorth]

Loving it in conjunction with the radiator. My temps stay in the mid 170's on highway. The highest I have seen was on a 106 degree day climbing a long grade up to temecula from San Diego with my account fully on. Only saw 194 for my coolant temp.

I might try it but I know the labour is 2.4 hours. The rad to get it down here and installed might be too much $$ but is it worth it for such little gain. I'm thinking Celsius btw

 

[Pete]

I might try it but I know the labour is 2.4 hours. The rad to get it down here and installed might be too much $$ but is it worth it for such little gain. I'm thinking Celsius btw

I would say it is. Especially if you ordered the x37. More power=more heat. Also if you did all the work for the thermostat you are going to wish you had the radiator as well. All the temps were in Fahrenheit. It has made quite the impact on summer driving here locally. As other at members local to me dare not to drive our local mountain Palomar during the day when it is 85+ degrees Fahrenheit. I on the other hand have no issues with a 9 minute climb up the mtn in my fiesta now.

 

[WeTheNorth]

I would say it is. Especially if you ordered the x37. More power=more heat. Also if you did all the work for the thermostat you are going to wish you had the radiator as well. All the temps were in Fahrenheit. It has made quite the impact on summer driving here locally. As other at members local to me dare not to drive our local mountain Palomar during the day when it is 85+ degrees Fahrenheit. I on the other hand have no issues with a 9 minute climb up the mtn in my fiesta now.

You think it might be worth it just to do the thermostat?

 

[Superfly Snook]

Not sure if it helps slocal but I've been watching my coolant temps on the AP the past couple days and have seen 195 +/- 5 dF with ambient temps in the mid 80s that we've been having lately. Even in stop and go traffic I haven't hit 200. I think I saw it hit 200 for a second or two pulling up a hill.

 

[willsolo]

Just cause I was looking at my data from my last track day, the highest I saw was 230 degrees at peak heat time around 3:30pm at Thunderhill. It was really hot that day, probably like mid to high 90's. I was going balls out in that last session I did, so it makes sense for me to see that temp. But for you, especially daily driving it that's nuts. I wonder if they could do a pressure test on the radiator to see if it has a leak somewhere. Maybe a hairline crack.