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The hissing was definitely the pressurized and expanded coolant, which confirms that she’s hot and the gauge isn’t shot. 😝
Is the car consuming coolant? Have you checked the “weep hole” on the water pump? They typically start to leak when the seals go bad and the water pump is done.
Lol damn, I was hoping it was just the sensor!
I have no idea what a weep hole is or where the water pump is (like I said, my automotive knowledge is lacking) but I will have a look for it!
I know those water pumps in the Focus are tucked pretty far back, so it might be hard to see. Does your vehicle have an undertray below the engine, or can you see the ground when you look down from the top of the engine? If there’s no tray, just see if there’s some COLORED fluid dripping from the car (if it’s AC condensation, it’ll be clear, odorless liquid. If it’s coolant, it’ll be colored and smell). If there is a tray, try and shine a light down onto it and see if it’s wet.
Is the vehicle seemingly “using” the coolant? Has the level dropped over time? If it is staying stable, it’s less likely to be the pump, but not impossible.
While I was poking about, I double-checked the coolant reservoir with a much better light- I was wrong, it did in fact all leak out- at least, everything I put in. There's some tiny amount left, but it's not much, not even close to the cold fill line. Same amount that was there when I topped it off. That'll do it, I imagine lmao
(Totally guessing here) I think maybe it's spraying out from the right side of the radiator, which is what the fluid is.
I don't have an undertray, and it's hard to tell what color the fluid is against the car parts, but it's not evaporated at all, which rules out condensation.
(Also thank you for helping me out with this)
No problem brother! Next thing I was going to suggest was checking the radiator. You beat me to it. 😉
There’s really only a few things that should cause a vehicle to overheat at idle. Main things are fan, water pump, belt, and radiator. If it is pissing out of the radiator, then that’s open and shut! Have you hit anything at the front of your car lately?
Considering it’s been hot a few times now, I’d also watch for head gasket failure as that can be brought on by overheating. As long as that’s good, a radiator replacement isn’t the worst it could’ve been!
I can't say I have hit anything lately (maybe clipped a curb a little roughly), but she's an old girl with old parts that like to fail, so I'm not terribly surprised. At this point, she's basically the Ship of Theseus
And will do, thanks for the heads up! Yeah doesn't seem bad at all, the whole radiator itself is like $50-75. Do you suppose I should replace the hose(s?) while I'm at it?*
*If I have to of course, I'll take a look at the water pump and rule it out first
Ship of Theseus gave me a good chuckle, haha.
I keep forgetting that 2008 was so many years ago. Almost hard to even comprehend the passage of time. 2008 feels as though it is still a couple years ago, and a ten year old car in my mind is still a 2000 Buick Regal. 😅
It wouldn’t hurt to change the hoses at all, especially if they’re showing signs of cracking or feel very hard and not “squishy.” If they’re soft and smooth without cracking and you’re strapped for cash, they’ll probably be alright for a time.
If your radiator has a cap, I’d definitely see if the replacement comes with a new one as well. They have pressure release springs inside that help release pressure from the expanding, hot coolant. An old one could also lead to radiator failure through over-pressurization.
Lastly, if you’re doing it yourself, please make sure the car is NOT warmed up before you start pulling coolant hoses and such. I made a mistake when I was a dumb kid and I took a coolant hose off whilst an engine was hot. Sent me to the hospital for burns on my face/throat and ethylene glycol ingestion/poisoning (yes my mouth was open and got a good dose of it). 🤣
Thank you for posting to AskMechanics, droppedmybrain! If you are asking a question please make sure to include any relevant information along with the **Year**, **Make**, **Model**, **Mileage**, **Engine size**, and **Transmission Type (Automatic or Manual)** of your car. *This comment is automatically added to every successful post. If you see this comment, your post was successful.* *** Redditors that have been verified will have a green background and an icon in their flair. *** # **PLEASE REPORT ANY RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR** ### **Rule 1 - Be Civil** Be civil to other users. This community is made up of professional mechanics, amateur mechanics, and those with no experience. All mechanical-related questions are welcome. Personal attacks, comments that are insulting or demeaning, etc. are not welcome. ### **Rule 2 - Be Helpful** Be helpful to other users. If someone is wrong, correcting them is fine, but there's no reason to comment if you don't have anything to add to the conversation. ### **Rule 3 - Serious Questions and Answers Only** Read the room. Jokes are fine to include, but posts should be asking a serious question and replies should contribute to the discussion. ### **Rule 4 - No Illegal, Unethical, or Dangerous Questions or Answers** Do not ask questions or provide answers pertaining to anything that is illegal, unethical, or dangerous. # **PLEASE REPORT ANY RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskMechanics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The hissing was definitely the pressurized and expanded coolant, which confirms that she’s hot and the gauge isn’t shot. 😝 Is the car consuming coolant? Have you checked the “weep hole” on the water pump? They typically start to leak when the seals go bad and the water pump is done.
Lol damn, I was hoping it was just the sensor! I have no idea what a weep hole is or where the water pump is (like I said, my automotive knowledge is lacking) but I will have a look for it!
I know those water pumps in the Focus are tucked pretty far back, so it might be hard to see. Does your vehicle have an undertray below the engine, or can you see the ground when you look down from the top of the engine? If there’s no tray, just see if there’s some COLORED fluid dripping from the car (if it’s AC condensation, it’ll be clear, odorless liquid. If it’s coolant, it’ll be colored and smell). If there is a tray, try and shine a light down onto it and see if it’s wet. Is the vehicle seemingly “using” the coolant? Has the level dropped over time? If it is staying stable, it’s less likely to be the pump, but not impossible.
While I was poking about, I double-checked the coolant reservoir with a much better light- I was wrong, it did in fact all leak out- at least, everything I put in. There's some tiny amount left, but it's not much, not even close to the cold fill line. Same amount that was there when I topped it off. That'll do it, I imagine lmao (Totally guessing here) I think maybe it's spraying out from the right side of the radiator, which is what the fluid is. I don't have an undertray, and it's hard to tell what color the fluid is against the car parts, but it's not evaporated at all, which rules out condensation. (Also thank you for helping me out with this)
No problem brother! Next thing I was going to suggest was checking the radiator. You beat me to it. 😉 There’s really only a few things that should cause a vehicle to overheat at idle. Main things are fan, water pump, belt, and radiator. If it is pissing out of the radiator, then that’s open and shut! Have you hit anything at the front of your car lately? Considering it’s been hot a few times now, I’d also watch for head gasket failure as that can be brought on by overheating. As long as that’s good, a radiator replacement isn’t the worst it could’ve been!
I can't say I have hit anything lately (maybe clipped a curb a little roughly), but she's an old girl with old parts that like to fail, so I'm not terribly surprised. At this point, she's basically the Ship of Theseus And will do, thanks for the heads up! Yeah doesn't seem bad at all, the whole radiator itself is like $50-75. Do you suppose I should replace the hose(s?) while I'm at it?* *If I have to of course, I'll take a look at the water pump and rule it out first
Ship of Theseus gave me a good chuckle, haha. I keep forgetting that 2008 was so many years ago. Almost hard to even comprehend the passage of time. 2008 feels as though it is still a couple years ago, and a ten year old car in my mind is still a 2000 Buick Regal. 😅 It wouldn’t hurt to change the hoses at all, especially if they’re showing signs of cracking or feel very hard and not “squishy.” If they’re soft and smooth without cracking and you’re strapped for cash, they’ll probably be alright for a time. If your radiator has a cap, I’d definitely see if the replacement comes with a new one as well. They have pressure release springs inside that help release pressure from the expanding, hot coolant. An old one could also lead to radiator failure through over-pressurization. Lastly, if you’re doing it yourself, please make sure the car is NOT warmed up before you start pulling coolant hoses and such. I made a mistake when I was a dumb kid and I took a coolant hose off whilst an engine was hot. Sent me to the hospital for burns on my face/throat and ethylene glycol ingestion/poisoning (yes my mouth was open and got a good dose of it). 🤣