Why does my 2000 Malibu overheat?

Answer 1

your cooling system is not working properly. There are a variety of cooling system failures that could cause the overheating. Damaged or leaking radiator and associated hoses - not much you can do other than replacing the radiator and/or hoses. There are some products (additives) in your local auto supply store that claim to stop radiator leaks. A cheap alternative that may buy some time. Cooling fan not operating properly - when a car is in motion the wind hitting the front of the vehicle removes the heat from the radiator and the heat in the engine is transferred to the outside air, when the vehicle is in idle or at a stop light, an electric fan blows air at the radiator replicating the effect of the car in motion. If ths cooling fan is not functioning properly, this could cause your 2000 Malibu to overheat. Check your cooling fan motor and switch. Water pump broken - this is a serious failure. the water pump constantly circulates the coolant between the engine block and the radiator. If the water pump does not function, there will be no transfer of heat from the engine block and the engine will overheat. Left uncorrected, this will lead to a big expense.