No not really but it may seem like it Because:
The hose may burst if the cart overheated
The AC will increase load making it harder for the engine cooling system to keep the engine cool.
ButThe real issue is that the cooling system was faulty to begin withOn your 1997 Ford Thunderbird : The engine cooling radiator is at the front of the engine compartment . The radiator is connected to the engine by ( 2 ) larger diameter rubber hoses . ( 1 hose at the top of the radiator and 1 hose at the bottom of the radiator on the other end of the radiator ) If you have air conditioning , the air conditioning condensor will be in front of the radiator
Either the radiator hose is loose where it connects to the radiator or there is either a small hole in the radiator or in the radiator hose. Try checking the hose to see if it's loose or check for small holes in the hose or radiator.
On a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer : The radiator is at the front of the engine compartment and has ( 2 ) larger diameter rubber hoses connecting the radiator to the engine ( 1 hose on the top and 1 hose on the bottom of the radiator ) * the air conditioning condensor will be in front of the radiator towards the front of the vehicle *
Having a leak in a radiator hose will have no effect on the engine running or not. However, in time the hose leak will cause the level of the coolant in the radiator to drop below a critical level and the engine will overheat.
radiator hose needs replacing. use and heat will cause hose to collapse when worn out
A leaking radiator hose would NOT cause this to happen, you have 2 problems with this vehicle.
They get old and become weak.
clogged radiator or bad water pump
The lower radiator hose is located at the bottom of the radiator.
Check valve in radiator cap malfunction, replace radiator cap.
In most cases the lower radiator hose feeds the water pump. The upper radiator hose feeds the radiator.
A hole.