# Car overheats when stopped

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** eldorado, cadillac\
**Created:** [February 15, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367 "2011-02-15T13:01:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panamabill248](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@panamabill248](https://community.cartalk.com/u/panamabill248)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/1 "2011-02-15T13:01:56Z")

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while driving the temp. is at 159 but when parked it climbs to 210 quickly. it also is not building pressure in the radiator & there is no coolant circulating thru radiator even when gauge is showing hot.

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/2 "2011-02-15T13:04:15Z")

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Have you checked the thermostat???

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/3 "2011-02-15T13:07:49Z")

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If there is no coolant circulation, it sounds like the water pump on your mystery-vintage Cadillac is not working. Just how old is this car?

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**Author:** ![panamabill248](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@panamabill248](https://community.cartalk.com/u/panamabill248)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/4 "2011-02-15T13:15:36Z")

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it is a 1988

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/5 "2011-02-15T13:45:27Z")

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You have at least four posts for same thing. Much better to keep it one as to have less confusion. You say it climbs to 210. That’s not overeheating, that’s normal operating temp. Is it actually overheating? What temp is it getting to?

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**Author:** ![PoodleShooter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@PoodleShooter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PoodleShooter)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/6 "2011-02-15T22:31:34Z")

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While you’re checking the thermostat, is the fan (assuming there is one) working?

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**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-overheats-when-stopped/61367/7 "2011-02-15T23:00:18Z")

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Are you sure that 210 is abnormal or overheating? On most cars it is not.