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I,ve read a few treads on this already , just need some reassurance!

I was having some fun on the way to work this morning when my little friend started to overheat! i mananaged to get it to a garage after about five cooling stops. he bloke recons the fan aint kickin in , does this fan run when u just drive normally? He reckons hes gonna replace the switch/sensor an it,ll be fine but i dont no wether i trust him!

Any help would be great!

In this weather, most people will be worrying that their cars AREN'T reaching normal temperature!!

A cooling fan only comes on when the normal air-flow across the radiator fins in inadaquate. This would be on a warm/hot day stuck in traffic. or on a very hot day doing town driving.

Your car has a slightly more serious problem I'd think. Probably the thermostat stuck closed.

I presume that your coolant levels are correct and your not loosing coolant at all??
If you've lost a significant amount of coolant AND there is a creamy residue on your oil filler cap then it's probably a failed head gasket.

Nah no coolant loss or mayo thank god! I thought exatly that , that the fan would only come on if it got well hot , the bloke said it comes on all the time after a certain temp , i,ll mention the thermostat to him!!

The issue I had:

http://www.tigerstyle.co.uk/poloforum/v ... hp?t=19261

Could well be the fan. If its not kickin in as you say its no regulating the temperature to the level it should be.
If its the thermostat or the thermostat housings then its nothing serious & just needs replacing asap.

There is an easy way to check the thermometer:

(i) Start the car from cold;
(ii) within a few minutes the UPPER hose to the radiator will begin to get hot;
(iii) when the dash-board reading on the thermometer reaches it 'usual' mark (give or take a few minutes) the BOTTOM hose from the radiator will begin to get warm. (this is when the termostat begins to open giving full flow)
(iv) If the temp reading continues to rise AND the bottom hose stays cool/cold you have a problem with your thermostat.

Good luck

Just got car back from garage , changed thermostat and fan switch drove home ok about ten miles looked under bonnet and engine was quite warm and fan was on fingers crossed!
while the car was in the loom to the door seams to have gone faulty there seems to be a loose wire to the windows , u have to shake it to get it to work! is the rubber boot hard to remove im gutted!

GUTTED , Still overheating drove about two miles today an it happened again!
The lower radiator hose is stone cold and the radiator any ideas chaps???

Do u think it could be the water pump??

The garage i took it to has already ripped me off im dreadin takin it back tomora

if the bootm rad hose is cold then the thremostat is blocked I know you've said they've changed it but for that to happen the it's realy the stat is inop.
hope it helps.

If you click the link in my 1st reply there are some other posibilities stated there...

If you open the cap on the engine...is the oil creamy?

NO NO CREAMY OIL OR COOLANT LOSS.

I,ll mention the thermostat housing tomora to him.

The garage has already ripped me off im P****d off!

Did the garage not check the thermostat before they returned the car to you?? It will normally take more than two miles driving before the coolant is in full flow. Remember that when driving the radiator will reduce the temp of the coolant and the lower hose will always be cooler than the upper. It is only when you leave the car running and stationary that the lower hose will reach a 'similar' temp to that of the upper hose:

There are three or four possibilities:-

(i) The water pump has had a catastrophic failure (looking increasingly likely)

(ii) there is a blockage in the radiator itself (unlikely)

(iii) the new thermostat is also faulty;(possible)

(iv) There is an air lock in the coolant system (possible)

You are wise to be wary of your garage.

Drive the car EXTREMELY carefully until this fault is properly diagnosed.


Good luck

My fan f****d too, i just wired it upto the battery directly to check if it was working then replaced it...

Ok so i,ve made some progress!!
Took the car back in today (used heaters to keep it cool!) i also took the picture of the thermostat housing with the hole in.
Got a call in the afternoon saying that the housing had this hole!! is this the end i shall see tomora fingers crossed!!!
Thanks 4 all the help guys i might have paid 4 a water pump today if i hadnt been on the forums

Nice one! Hopefully thats that sorted then...

Drove the car home was well worried as it heated up quickly , needle sat halfway even in traffic, Checked RAD hoses when i got home top was hot bottom was warm so looks like a result!
Has anyone else replaced the thermostat housing? The bloke said it looks like the design has been changed slightly hope hes fitted the right one!!!