You should try checking your coolant level, make sure it is always full. Does the car ever over heat to the point where you can't drive it or does the temperature gauge just show that it's hot?
There could be several answers to that question. The thermostat could be stuck closed. The reservior could be overfilled. The cooling fan may not be working. The radiator could be stopped up.
Coolant level low? Check when cold Cooling fan not working? Thermostat not opening? Dirty or clogged radiator? Bad radiator Cap? Water pump bad?
It could be the cooling fan swith, the water temperature sensor, or the cooling, (radiater), fan motor. It can allso be a loose electrical connection or a blown fuse.
There is a good chance that your radiator cooling fan is not working properly. Some vehicles have a mechanical clutch that causes the radiator fan to operate when the vehicle is stopped or at low speeds. These clutches can wear out and need replacement. Other vehicles have an electric radiator fan that is controlled by a thermostat placed somewhere in the vehicle's engine coolant flow. Electric fans can malfunction and not pull enough air through the radiator to keep it properly cooled. The electric cooling fan's thermostat can go bad too.
Low of coolant, blown head gasket, cooling fan not working, thermostat stuck closed, radiator stopped up or debris clogging the outside of the cooling fins, or water pump defective.
with my 95 mx3 i was having the same problem all i did was adjusted the angle of the radiator and the over heating problem stopped id try that
AnswerIf you have cooling fans they could be not commming on. Or the radiator may be stopped up. Or the fan clutch not working. The thermostat could be stuck closed.
the fan can be installed backwards and moving the air through the radiator in the wrong direction.The radiator or cooling ports can be plugged if a stop leak has been used on the engine.the water pump might not be working.
Most modern cars are designed so that air will be ducted through the radiator when moving. The cooling fan does not run until the engine reaches a certain temperature, which is close to the boiling point. When stopped, there is no airflow through the radiator, so the temp goes up. If stopped long enough, during warm days, the cooling fan will come on. Your car is operating normally.
maybe my radiator is defective
not likely PCM problem... most common cause is either ... Bad Cooling Fan Relay Blown Cooling Fan Fuse or Bad Cooling Fan Motor
That means the engine is running HOT are overheating. Check engine coolant level, Thermostat may be BAD. Possible Fan clutch bad, Radiator stopped up. CHECK COOLING SYSTEM.