# Overheating jetta **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 23, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874 "2009-02-23T17:36:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![edgybabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@edgybabe](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edgybabe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/1 "2009-02-23T17:36:11Z")
I have a 2003 VW Jetta. It overheated and stalled last week. The mechanics tried replacing the thermostat twice, flushed out the entire cooling system, and when they took it for a test drive, it overheated after ten minutes of driving. They are unable to locate the problem. Can someone help me? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/2 "2009-02-23T18:01:15Z")
Clogged radiator? Cooling fans not working? Water pump not working? Leaking cylinder head gasket? Did they check any of these? What, exactly, happens when the engine “overheats?” Does coolant boil out of the radiator or are you just seeing a high reading on the dashboard gauge? ---
**Author:** ![edgybabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@edgybabe](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edgybabe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/3 "2009-02-23T18:37:37Z")
The temp guage registers hot and the car stalls and will not re-start until it is cooled off. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/4 "2009-02-23T19:14:15Z")
``` [i] The temp guage registers hot and the car stalls and will not re-start until it is cooled off. [/i] You certainly don't want to continue doing that. Is it loosing any coolant when this happens? It really seams odd to me that it would get hot enough to stall without loosing coolant. ``` ---
**Author:** ![edgybabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@edgybabe](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edgybabe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/5 "2009-02-23T19:32:00Z")
There is still coolant in the overflow tank and I don’t see any leaks under the cr. It seems strange to me that the mechanic can’t find anything wrong. I am so afraid to take it to the VW dealer because they tried to take advantage of me last year. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/6 "2009-02-23T19:41:43Z")
They didn’t note anything about the color of the coolant when they flushed the system did they? ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/overheating-jetta/26874/7 "2009-02-23T19:45:14Z")
Could be a bad temperature sensor throwing off the dash gauge and making the ECU shut the engine down.