Any mechanics out there have an inkling as to what all this is from?

Question

March 1st, my husband took our 1997 Dodge Intrepid ES to get the state inspection sticker. The car was running fine, but the check engine light was on. The guy there says that we need some new hoses, wires, things like that and we end up with over $600 in repairs.

March 3, my husband turned on the heater and noticed it wasn't blowing heat. Then he noticed it was overheating. He took it back to the "guy" (he is not a certified mechanic, we know now) and told him to fix it. He said he 'forgot' to bled the system or something, I don't remember the exact wording but he said a pressure bubble built up in one of the hoses he installed.

March 6, I'm driving the car with my two small children when all kinds of white smoke comes out of the hood. I turned off the car and eventually made my way back to that shop where they said there were more air pockets and then they go ahead and install a new thermastat because the said it was not opening and closing like it was supposed to.

Now the check engine light is back on. I don't feel safe driving this car and I don't know if there is some underlying problem he caused that they are trying to cover up. Are these common mistakes?

Answer 1

It would help to know more specifically what work was done March 1. Assuming some cooling system work was done (radiator or heater hoses for example) and the system was not bled (burped) properly, air pockets in the cooling system would have resulted in a low coolant level and thus insufficient cooling. That could explain your return trip on 3/3.

On your return trip March 6 it sounds like there was more air in the system. I would certainly replace the T-stat at this point as the vehicle has overheated twice. Also make sure the cooling system is properly bled and full. If the problem goes away after that then all well and good but I suspect it may not. If it doesn't I think we have a bigger issue here.

Where is all this air coming from in the cooling system? Its come back twice with excessive air in the cooling system according to your description. Burping out the cooling system after service is not rocket science. Its very routine. That suggests air is getting sucked into the cooling system, displacing the coolant. Usually that means only one thing - blown head gasket. Blown head gaskets are usually the result of overheating, so what came first...?

Of course, before we jump the gun the first thing to do is determine if there is a head gasket leak. Competent mechanics will be able to determine this. You may not want to go back to the same guy if you don't have confidence in him. For the moment, at the bare minium replace the thermostat and top off the coolant, then see what happens.

Answer 2

well the only part that makes sense to me is the thermostat.
replacing one should not cost much . i wont be surprised if your husband or you could do this with a repair manual for your car.
the other thing he is talking about is i think a cooling flush . that is the rad fuild but air bubles trapped in there never heard of that.
if he has changed the hoses the fuild and the thermostat and the car is still over heatting then it could be that the thermostat that was put in is not working right . that happens . he can test a thermostat in a pot of water or just plop another one in.
i would drive it now and have a look at the radiator fluid each day for the next week or so. it will be in a large semi clear plastic jug like thing the fuild should look kind of green. not the windshield fuild . that fuild is blue.
if you see the rad fuild is going down then you have a leak at the very least . if it does not drop then no leak . if the light keep coming on but you dont get the steam not smoke steam is what you had i would think then your ok.
otherwise i would take it someplace else. but i think he has the problem fixed now. should the engine light come on or you do see steam pull over let the car cool down half and hour then drive to the nearest repair shop.
you can tell if he replaced the hoses the big rubber ones as they will look new for one . another mechanic would be able to feel them and tell you if there new or worn but unless they leak then thats not the problem . i tell you that just so you know if he really did replace the hoses.
the light coming on could be as a result of it not working right that is the sensor or it has to be re set now either way not a big deal. your car is safe to drive as long as you check the fuild each day and pull over if the light comes on.
the other thing to do is drive it and when it has gone a few miles heated up when you park just have a look under the car for a puddle if you see one then again you have a leak.
so again unless you were to drive around with the temp or check engine light on or steam was coming out from under the hood your safe. give this all a weeks try and if not fixed then you should see another real mechanic.
if you do take it to another mechanic just be sure your not having a bill for new hoses when you already have them
i dont think this guy is trying to rip you off its just the way things go . cars are not a simple as some people think . this is why mechanics train for years to be a mechanic. drive around for a while do what i said and see how it is . you know what you should do take it to another place to see if you really had 600 bucks of work done. you are kind of getting near the point of a goof up as far as the price goes . not yet but near the limit if it is what he said it is . now if a gasket is blown then thats much more.

Answer 3

A lot of times having a check engine light on is pretty common for people because they know the car will still run but they don't care to find out why it's on or don't have the time. Anyways you should take your car to a different Technition. More than likely an ASE certified Mechanic. So far from working in a shop and working with the other guys in the shop I work at I've never seen or heard of any problem like you keep having. There could have been a hose put on wrong if you keep having problems. Make sure you take it somewhere else and have it all checked out good. Along with finding out why the check engine light is on.

Answer 4

The check engine light and the white smoke/no heat may not be related.
The air bubbles in the system is a common mistake of not bleeding the system properly - this will cause a no heat situation, and the car will overheat because the thermostat does not open and coolant can not flow through the engine to cool it. The white smoke was probably coming from the coolant overflow because of the overheating condition - so replacing the thermostat and bleeding the system should have fixed the heat, and the overheating problem.

The check engine light is most likely due to an emmissions fault in the computer - a lot of times because the gas cap is not on tight enough. Have them do a diagnosis on the computer to see what the code fault of the check engine light is - it will tell them exactly and you can go from there.

Just looks like Murphy's Law was in effect - should not be unsafe to drive in my opinion.

Answer 5

All of this sound like someone jerking you around...don't know what all you replaced the first time...but what did the inspector say the code was fromthe check engine light...probably just a misfire code.. and you replaced the plug and wires.. and when the mechanic replaced the hoses...he drained the coolant, which allowed the rust and buildup in the coolant system to settle, which more than likely..in the heater core..and the radiator.. causing a blockage.. and now the coolant can not circulate..therefore causing the car to overheat and coolant to backflow to the coolant recoverey tank or even bust a hose.....but if he replaced the thermostat and everything is fine now...just a warning...you could have problems in the future...you might have a slight blown head gasket already and not know it...pay close attention to temperature hand. and check coolant, and oil...daily..

Answer 6

check engine light comes on for the emmisions. its probably an o2 senser. take the car to a part store an have the code pulled for free and they can tell you whats wrong. as for your heat it sounds like you have a 2.7 under the hood. It does need to be bled an a bubble can be missed but i dont think thats the trouble.my daughter in law has the same car and its the switch in the dash that turns the heater on. next time it does it play with the switch and it should work.then u decide if you want to fix it or not.if you got the 2.7 under the hood i feel sorry for you cuz its the biggest pile of crap that chrysler put out and the car itself is an electrical nightmare. as the car gets older you can expect shorts and major engine problems.my advice is get rid of it before it gets you.you just described the probs my daughter in law had before the engine blew

Answer 7

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Answer 8

well it seems like the guy who worked on your car doesnt know crap...... i have been building race engines for 20 trs...... that guy most likely screwd your car good...... if you saw white smoke, then something blew or your over flow did its job..... EVEN if you had a so called air bubble, when you drive it the air works its self out, not over heat..... i dont know what exactly he did, but over heating is normally an internal problem and if the check engine light stays on then my assumption is that the motor is still running hot......i can only assume for you....

good luck

Answer 9

It sounds like you may have overheated it to the point of a warped head or blown head gasket. It is NOT a common occurrence among knowledgeable mechanics. Your "mechanic" may have cost you a couple thousand dollars. Take it to a reputable mechanic and have it fixed properly.

Answer 10

people always try to blame someone for things going wrong..all those things can happen..your car is 10 years old..how often have you changed the coolant? after 10 years many things will go wrong..starter,belts , alternator...tune up,,brakes, front end parts...get ready... you take it to a "guy" to save money..If you went to the dealer or certified mechanic you might have a point...But dont blame the "guy" hes probibly doing the best he can