Overheating! Help ASAP

[KIMS CRUZER]

I just picked my car up from the Chrysler dealer saturday. They put a new fan in it. It was overheating when I would have to stop and start alot or go to a drive thru for any length of time. It is still doing it! I had suggested to then to check the relays." Oh we put the fan on a bypass to make sure it got juice. It wasn't turning on." I also saw a TSB bulliten #07-001-03. Can anyone tell me what the bulliten states regarding the overheating. I have tried to look it up on internet to no avail. I spent over a thousand dollars. I also had both tie rods replaced. Help!

[CREWZIN]

Kim,

I seem to be the only one helping. I tried looking up the TSB you mentioned but can't get to the right places without joining or paying for information. I did find out that the TSB #07-001-03 is for a computer flash of the GT models to cure an overheating problem but I can't get the details.

[KIMS CRUZER]

Hey Cruzin, Thanks for trying. I also had another posting Under a faulty code you were helping me with yesterday. You had asked if it had went up in the red when it overheated? It had once went in red, but since then I'm eye balling the guage so it hasn't got that hot. After the fan was put on it overheated and I heard the gurgling sound. So now they want to take the head off and go from there. My PT is the 2001 Limited with the aluminum block, (is that the right word). Why have they not mentioned the thermostat? My car would overheat when in start stop traffic or at a long light or drive thru for a length of time. They said they checked the TSB, PCM, relays are working. I also asked about whether they bled the cooling system because you mentioned the possibility of air in the lines.

[CREWZIN]

Kim,

I believe it's an Iron block with Aluminum heads, but somebody will hopefully correct me if I'm wrong. Not sure if anyone makes an entire aluminum engine.

Yes, someone on one of the other forums I went to did have a thermostat problem which caused his overheating. Hopefully your dealer checked that part out while it was in the shop.

Got another question. Does it cool down when you start to drive after you've been stopped and it got hot? That should mean the fan is not working if it cools down when you continue to drive. My fan burnt out, got hot when I stopped but drove 90 miles home and as long as I kept going and air was flowing into the radiator, it stayed cool. Only when I slowed down or stopped (and the fan didn't come on) did it start to overheat.

When you put the air-conditioning on, does the fan come on? It should. Try running the air-conditioning next time your at a long light or drive-thru so the fan will be on to see if it still starts to overheat. You could have a bad relay or burnt fuse for the new fan.

[KIMS CRUZER]

The car is at Chrysler so I cannot do any testing . The day I drove it, after getting the new fan it did cool off as long as the car was moving. I had the air on at the time it overheated. I had to strategically plan my course to eliminate long stops. I also turned the heat on high. It also did this before I got the new fan. I did not hear the fan coming on before the replacement of the new one, so I assumed that was the fix. Overheated on first oting after pick up. When I drove the car to drop it off again. I turned it off then started it up , got out and the fan was on. I called chrysler today, " we are still diagnosing". Should I call and tell them what to do? They don't seem like they have a handle on the PT issues? Thanks for all of your quick replies. Your the best.

[CREWZIN]

Kim,

No, they probably won't take kindly to you telling them what to do, but you just might suggest that you heard on the forums from people that had the same trouble that it might be the thermostat or the new fan isn't coming on when it should. The fan is computer controlled and there's 2 speeds, so maybe the low speed isn't coming on and high speed comes on after your starting to overheat. But that's just guessing. Since it's at the dealer, wait to see what they say but I'd really hate for you to have the engine torn down to look at the head gasket before all other possibilities at looked at. You might tell them that.

[KIMS CRUZER]

I suggested things. I told them about the the issues I saw on PT forums. They don't seem to listen to me. One would think start with the cheaper fix and progress. I asked them to check the relays at the start. They said the computer didn't show it was fuses or relays. I them told them about the PCM update. Maybe I will suggest again relays, fuses . Should I also try to get them to rule out thermostat? Maybe they don't listen to me because I am a woman? Again thanks for all your input. I get more input from you than I do the dealership.

[CREWZIN]

Originally Posted by KIMS CRUZER

I get more input from you than I do the dealership.

That's because I'm retired, belong to 4 car clubs and volunteer for the local Police Department and have plenty of time on my hands to check on the internet at all the forums.

Wait to see what they say and if they do want to tear down the engine, then suggest the thermostat. Tell them you never had it get hot enough to warp the head and always pulled over as soon as you saw the needle rise towards the HOT mark.

[Hooligan]

Crewzin, your all right. We both know (as well as many others) that the mentality in most dealerships is "A women, what do they know". I have seen many very intelligent mechanically minded women that would tie the best service manager in knots.

Kim, Listen to Crewzin as he knows his stuff!!!!

[Mean Green]

Originally Posted by Hooligan

Crewzin, your all right. We both know (as well as many others) that the mentality in most dealerships is "A women, what do they know". I have seen many very intelligent mechanically minded women that would tie the best service manager in knots.

Kim, Listen to Crewzin as he knows his stuff!!!!

Way back in the 1970s my wife and I bought a Plymouth Arrow brand new. When it turned 15k my wife was driving and the EGR light came on. She called the dealer and was told that meant Emergency Garage Repair, bring the car in quick. It really means Exhaust Gas Recirculation and comes on every 15k to remind you to check the EGR valve for deposits. My wife was smart enough to call me and I went down to the dealer and tore the guy a new one. Took me 5 minutes to check the EGR valve myself, it was fine and I reset the switch behind the gauge cluster. I never send my wife to the dealer with a car with a problem.....Anyways, if possible, I would try another dealer and take a knowledgeable man with you, husband, neighbor, teenage car nut. It's sad, in this day and age, that women still get treated like this. You might have to involve a district Chrysler rep in this.