# Car gets hot with air on **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 26, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647 "2014-06-26T05:17:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![coachd4461](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@coachd4461](https://community.cartalk.com/u/coachd4461)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/1 "2014-06-26T05:17:24Z")
I have a 2002 Ford Taurus with 219000+ on it. The las couple times that I have driven when the air temp was over 85 the temp gage moves to hot when the air is on. When I turn the air off the temp comes down. I have checked the fans and they are running. I also looked at the condenser and it seems to be clear. I have talked with some one and he suggested flushing the radiator. Would that help or could something else be wrong? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/2 "2014-06-26T05:22:34Z")
It wouldn’t hurt. It sure sounds like a cooling problem and cleaning the cooling system would be a straight forward first step. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/3 "2014-06-26T05:26:54Z")
The radiator could very well be the problem. With the AC off, a restricted radiator can handle the normal cooling of the engine. But when the AC is turned on, the heat that the condenser produces in front of the radiator can reduce the efficiency of the radiator. So the engine starts to overheat. Tester ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 7:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/4 "2014-06-26T07:52:18Z")
Your radiator probably won’t work any better after the flush. A new radiator is probably a great idea. Many of the fins are just gone with the wind due to corrosion. They are mostly missing when viewed from the rear. If about 7% are gone the radiator won’t work well enough with AC on or when going up steep hills for a half mile or longer. ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/5 "2014-06-26T17:39:41Z")
Have yoiu checked that you are not low on coolant!!! ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/6 "2014-06-26T20:47:24Z")
The water pump impeller may be severely corroded: > **[2001 ford taurus ohv/ overheating - Page 2 - Taurus Car Club of America : Ford...](http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/82-maintenance-repair/177270-2001-ford-taurus-ohv-overheating-2.html)** > > Taurus Car Club of America : Ford Taurus Forum ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/7 "2014-06-27T04:40:33Z")
At thta mileage I would go for a new radiator as well as a flush.The system is simply overloaded with the AC on. You should also have the water pump checked. ---
**Author:** ![stowaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@stowaway](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stowaway)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/8 "2014-06-27T06:10:36Z")
i would lean more towards water pump have seen the impeller wore slap off ---
**Author:** ![stowaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@stowaway](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stowaway)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/9 "2014-06-27T06:11:21Z")
just done one like two days ago ---
**Author:** ![stowaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@stowaway](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stowaway)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/10 "2014-06-27T06:11:54Z")
3.0 L engine ---
**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:** [June 27, 2014, 7:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-gets-hot-with-air-on/85647/11 "2014-06-27T07:38:14Z")
Ask your mechanic to check the fan speed and the radiator cap.