# 2012 Toyota RAV4 - Overheating issues **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** toyota\ **Created:** [July 11, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983 "2021-07-11T23:17:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kenede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@Kenede](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kenede)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/1 "2021-07-11T23:17:52Z")
My rav42012 model is overheating badly after changing the head gasket and also removed the thermostat. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/2 "2021-07-11T23:24:16Z")
did you change the gasket? if not bring it back to the shop that did it. if you did it. did you bleed the air out of the system? with the heat on? make sure fans are working. check to make sure the radiator cap is good. also how many miles are on the vehicle? if a lot the water pump might need replacing. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/3 "2021-07-12T00:46:44Z")
Put the thermostat back in. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/4 "2021-07-12T00:52:32Z")
Was the head checked for flatness before reinstalling it? And were new head bolts used? Tester ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/5 "2021-07-12T00:54:28Z")
and were they torqued properly? ---
**Author:** ![Kenede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@Kenede](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kenede)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 6:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/6 "2021-07-12T06:18:55Z")
Weekend worrior That is what I am about to do now ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 6:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/7 "2021-07-12T06:34:27Z")
What is that? Replace the head gasket or refill the cooling system? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 8:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/8 "2021-07-12T08:02:28Z")
> [@weekend-warrior](#): > > did you change the gasket? if not bring it back to the shop that did it. > if you did it. did you bleed the air out of the system? with the heat on? make sure fans are working. > check to make sure the radiator cap is good. > also how many miles are on the vehicle? if a lot the water pump might need replacing. > [@Tester](#): > > Was the head checked for flatness before reinstalling it? > > And were new head bolts used? > [@weekend-warrior](#): > > and were they torqued properly? > [@NYBo](#): > > Put the thermostat back in. Out of al the above. What are you about to do now? I’m guessing you did the job yourself, if so take it to someone that knows what they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-toyota-rav4-overheating-issues/177983/9 "2021-07-13T23:40:12Z")
Are you losing any coolant? Have you tested the cooling system to make sure it holds pressure? Is the radiator cap working correctly? Finally, the thermostat has to be installed and working for modern cooling systems to work correctly. Otherwise you’ll get too much flow through the radiator and not enough through the engine.