I have a Fiat Panda and i really need help. last week my engine over heated (photo 2). Normally and since i bought the temperature gauge has always been midway (see pic 1) i went to a few people including two back street mechanics and one Fiat dealer. They all filled up the water bottle and said that would do it. however all of a sudden my car now starts on the “C” ( see pic 3) as this has never happened before this feels wrong to me, but am i right ? My mate at work had a look at this and said that the 3 others had filled the water too hight and when i looked he was right and it was to the top and the max line was well below. so i filled with the universal coolant and it seemed to do a little better. Today after I drove 2 miles and the dial move slowly from the “c” to about 25% with in 2 miles. what is concerning me is now when i now drive and i DO NOT have the heater on hot air vents through any vent in the car. It’s unbearable. with two young kids in the car its not good.
I feel now that the thermostat is the problem. but im not a mechanic and im only going on what some people has said i may or may not be be.
Can you guys help me???
How old is the car? At 5 years, it needs a cooling system service, including coolant change, rinsing, and new thermostat and radiator cap. If this has not been done, you probably need to do it.
It sounds to me like you’re losing coolant and ending up with air in the system. I’d recommend getting this diagnosed by a reputable shop. If you do so ASAP it’'ll probably end up being an affordable fix. If you procrastinate, it’ll probably develop into a wrecked motor.
Don’t make assumptions based on what “some people have said”. This deserves a hands-on diagnosis by a qualified shop. They’ll probably pressure test the system and test the coolant for evidence of hydrocarbons. If these two tests come out as normal, they may just change the coolant out and change the thermostat. But get it diagnosed before making any assumptions.
I wholeheartedly agree that if the car is over 5 years old the cooling system would need servicing, but I think you have more going on here.
Does this car have a radiator cap? Is it still losing fluid? It could have air in the system or the thermostat could have failed open. Either case and you would have no heat. If that’s as far as it overheated, that not the red zone. You may have lucked out.
@ BustedKnuckles Its a 2004 Fiat Panda. How much do you think it would take to fix what you mentioned??
@ the same mountainbike: how much would that come to? also Its a 2004 Fiat Panda.
@ knfenimore; Re is it still losing fluid? can you tell me how i would be able to kow how its losing fluid?
Guys i used a syringe to syphon the remains of liquid and replaced it we coolant. will that make any difference?
The gauge needle SHOULD be on “C” when the car is first started in the morning…This is the time to check the coolant level in both the overflow tank and the radiator. It should NEVER go up to the “H” mark. If your heater is blowing hot air, that’s another issue…
“Guys i used a syringe to syphon the remains of liquid and replaced it we coolant. will that make any difference?” No. The coolant must still be replaced, not just topped off. And the thermostat and radiator cap should also be replaced. They wear out. I have no idea what prices in Europe are like, but it should be reasonable.
We have no Idea what contry you live in, we don;t have the Panda in the US. Fiat itself only returned to our market recently with, as far as I know, only the Fiat 500.
We don’t know the prices where you are and we couldn’t tell you what it would cost here because you have not had a diagnosi done yet. It could be a radiator cap- cheap, a thermostat, leaky hose- a little more, water pump or radiator- more yet or a blown head gasket- expensive, or a cracked head or block- more than the car is worth.
You need a mechanic to spend some time to g=find out the cause of your coolant loss and overheating and you have to pay for it.
If you tell someone you can’t pay anything- ypu get filled with water and sent on your way.
I cannot guess what that would come to since you’re not in the U.S., but I can tell you that the cost of repair will rise in it doesn’t get fixed… probably by leaps and bounds.
Pressure testing the system and checking the coolant for hydrocarbons isn’t expensive. Neither is a surgical procedure. Neither requires opening up the motor. What happens from there depends on the results of the tests. If the pressure test discloses leaks, how expensive the repair is depends no where it’s leaking. If the coolant has evidence of hydrocarbons, additional testing will be necessary to verify the source. If it’s a headgasket breech, then you begin to face surgery… the head will have to come off the engine.
Caddyman, I was initially puzzled by the photos too, but of you switch #2 and #3 around the post makes sense. I’m guessing that’s what the OP did. It doesn’t change the recommendation, so I ignored it.