Why does my 2002 Saturn L-series car get hot when in stop & go traffic?

Question

I have a 2002 Saturn L- series car when I am driving in stop go traffic sometimes the tempature light will start moving to hot, it does not happen all the time but when it does as soon as I start driving again it goes back to normal. the guy at jiffy-lube told me if I got a radiator flush($80.) this would allievate the problem, is this true or will this be a waste of money. I have never gotten a radiator flush before. Any help on this would be appreciated.

Answer 1

saturns are know for bad coolant temp sensor (for the computer), and also the connector for the sensor. i cant believe nobody else mentioned this well known issue. the sensor goes bad, small amounts of coolant leak through to the electrical pins in the sensor. this creates corrosion at the connector. the combination of the two probs. caused the fans to come on way late ( should come on a 226f).

Answer 2

If you have never changed the anti freeze it can't hurt it is supposed to be changed every two years. It keeps the engine from freezing and overheating and lubes the water pump as well as transfer the heat away from the engine, here is a couple of things you can do to check it out, first when engine is cold remove the raditor cap llok at the sealing ring see if its cracked, take it to a parts shop and have them do a pressure test on it. if it does not hold presure replace it. Next and before you go to the store look in the radiator see if you see white stuff in it, if you can't see poke your finger down in the hole and slightly rub the fins inside the radiator if it comes out with white stuff on it it's time for a flush. Next take a shop light or flash light and put it in a grarage put the light in where the fan is and look thru the front if you can look to see it you can see clear thru the radiator, if it is blocked by bugs or twigs or sticks it needs to be cleaned but can be done at a car wash if you are careful to not get the wand to close to blow out the stuff, and you want to do it in reverse flow of the air flow so from the inside of the engine compartment to the outside of the car. NOw last thing is it an automatic? if so check the Transmision fluid level if it's low it could slip and cause it to get hot, also see if it is cherry red or brown. If it's brown and smells sort of like onions you need a tranny filter change and tranny oil change. you could use all of these the transmission fluid and filter shoud be changed every 30k miles or sooner in hard driving condtions. I hope this gives you some cluse on how to troubleshoot the problem yourself and find the problem. Always check what you can and the easy stuff first. if you have not changed the antifreeze then do so anyway, if the radiator is clean, Antifreeze loses it's heat transfer rate over time.

Answer 3

First of all, a cooling system flush is the last thing you want to do if your engine is getting hot. Secondly, have the electric fan motor diagnosed. It may not be working properly. The fan is not coming on when the engine reaches operating temperature. But when your vehicle is in motion air goes through the radiator naturally keeping the engine cooler. Also being that it is a Saturn, they are notorious for blowing head gaskets of cracking heads. Have you mechanic perform a cylinder head leak down test to determine if there is the presence of exhaust gases which would identify a problem with the head gasket or the head itself. By the way when you get the opportunity get rid of that Saturn and get another kind of vehicle. Saturns are a problem child.

Answer 4

2002 Saturn L

Answer 5

If you have`nt done it for a while it would be good to replace the thermostat,check the radiator cap,make sure there is no bugs,dirt,etc.blocking the air flow through the radiator.Make sure you have the 50/50 mix with the antifreeze/coolant.You need to squeeze the bottom hose to make sure there is no air trapped in the cylinder head,many water pumps just push and do`nt really pump and air in the system will stop the coolant flow and cause hot spots in the head that could cause the head to crack or the head gasket to blow.Make sure your hoses are not old and collapsing shutting off the coolant flow.Make sure the fan motor is cutting on ,there is a sensor switch on the radiator that can go bad you may need a new switch.

Answer 6

You need to have the electric radiator fans checked for proper operation. Also these cars MUST have a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. 100% antifreeze will cause this condition also. It's kinda like washing your hands with 100% dishwashing liquid with no water then drying your hand off. How good will that be with no water ??? Anyway, if the car was ok before and developed this problem, the most likely you only need a cooling fan "relay" or a "cooling temperature sensor".

Answer 7

you most likely have a fan motor not coming on. when it gets hot open the hood and look at the fan to see if it is running.if not running usually it is the fan itself if you thump it sometimes it will start, also it could be a bad relay not switching it on.if the radiator was the problem it would still get hot driving were when the fan stops working the air flowing while driving helps cool the engine.

Answer 8

It may be that a radiator flush will help but Im wondering if your fan is working. When it gets hot (but not boiling over!), open the hood and see if the cooling fan just behing the radiator is spinning. If it isn't, it should be. And that's your problem

Answer 9

when the next time your car start's to run hot pull over pop the hood and see if your electric cooling fan has kicked in if not then I'd say this could be yer answer a faulty sensor or fan motor, most common is a sensor that kicks the fan on when the temp gets too hot, good luck. you could also just fire it up in yer drive way and let it run to see if the temp rises and then check it.

Answer 10

Sounds like they might be right about the radiator; if it's stopped up, then the water can't circulate and the fan can't dissipate heat. It could also be problems with the water pump, or with the fan itself. I'd start with the radiator flush, myself - it can't hurt, and it might help!