Engine temperature goes into the red shortly after car starts?

hairybelly

2000 ford fiesta 1.2l

This one popped up about 1-2 months ago for the first time, and seems to be becoming more and more frequent since then.

About 5 minutes after I start the car from cold, and drive a bit the engine temperature rises and I can hear a whirring sound coming from the engine.

First time it went into the red so I pulled over and popped the bonnet to have a look, the whirring sound seemed to be coming from the radiator area which I presume is some kind of fan etc.

There was no smoke/steam or excessive heat coming from the engine.

And each time the temperature gauge just returns to normal after about 1-2 minutes, the whirring sound disappears a short while after.

9/10 it happens just after starting the car but a few times its happened when idle after previously driving for 30-40 minutes.

Could this just be a temperature sensor fault or something worse?

DarkJager

hairybelly wrote: »

2000 ford fiesta 1.2l

This one popped up about 1-2 months ago for the first time, and seems to be becoming more and more frequent since then.

About 5 minutes after I start the car from cold, and drive a bit the engine temperature rises and I can hear a whirring sound coming from the engine.

First time it went into the red so I pulled over and popped the bonnet to have a look, the whirring sound seemed to be coming from the radiator area which I presume is some kind of fan etc.

There was no smoke/steam or excessive heat coming from the engine.

And each time the temperature gauge just returns to normal after about 1-2 minutes, the whirring sound disappears a short while after.

9/10 it happens just after starting the car but a few times its happened when idle after previously driving for 30-40 minutes.

Could this just be a temperature sensor fault or something worse?

Coolant sensor might be gone?

George Dalton

Have you checked the coolant level?

oldfella

might be the stat has broken

corktina

it's the heater control thingy on the bulkhead under the bonnet.....easy fix ...about €25 for a new one...one multi plug and two hoses. Common Fiesta fault.

hairybelly

corktina wrote: »

it's the heater control thingy on the bulkhead under the bonnet.....easy fix ...about €25 for a new one...one multi plug and two hoses. Common Fiesta fault.

I was hoping it was something like this but still keeping all options open. Let me know if you find what the full name of this control thingey is.

corktina

Is the technical term to much for you then? :-)

Heater control valve afaik...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ2TLhvvhV4

Dizzicizzi

Sounds like either low coolant or thermostat is on the way out imo

Build quality just isn't the way it used to be. :rolleyes:

aisr1ofk43dpy5

Thermostat stuck in the closed position I would think

Totofan99

Could be a stuck thermostat. Or worse, it could be the head gasket!

corktina

Totofan99 wrote: »

Could be a stuck thermostat. Or worse, it could be the head gasket!

could be, but with Fiestas these symptoms can be caused by a faulty heater control valve. What you do is remove the pipes and rejoin/loop them, isolating the heater and then try. If car is then normal , it's the valve at fault. It's a common occurrence on Fiestas

corktina

this thread may help...this is how I fixed mine....George Dalton and others to the rescue (thanks again)

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056657911

hairybelly

George Dalton wrote: »

Have you checked the coolant level?

I had not as it was dark when I made the thread, but it was infact that. I just had assumed the worst case scenario and thought I'd ask here.

Refilled the coolant, now just going to keep an eye and see how long it takes to drain again to see how bad the leak is.

ec18

started happening my car recently.....I need a new radiator

lifer_sean

A related question:

When the Ford heater control valves fail, do they fail with heat on or heat off ?

Have a 00 Puma, heater stuck on, replaced both heater control valve and heater control switch, still have problem. Maybe replacement heater control valve also faulty (although unlikely since it was a new one ?) ?