Overheating PT Cruiser 2008

I have a issue with this car overheating. The radiator was replaced around 2012. In 10/2015 the fan was replaced. And now it’s overheating, again. Can you make some recommendations? Where will be a good place to for repairs. The fan isn’t working.

If the fan isn’t working, then that is where you need to start. Fan relays, ECM telling the fan to turn on, fan motor itself could be bad.

The fan is likely still under warranty, so if that is bad you could likely get it replaced for free.

I’m not super familiar with the PT Cruiser, but I would start by forcing power to the fan and seeing if I could get it to start. If it works, then I would test the relay- working backwards til I found something wrong.

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These models are prone to blowing head gaskets. Have it checked out for exhaust leaks through the cooling system.

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Thank you, for the information. I was told the thermostat need to be
replaced.

Thank you, for the information. I will do as you instructed.

I’m with eddo, and I’d add the temp sensor that tells the ECU to tell the fan to engage… perhaps even at the top of the suspects list. If the ECU doesn’t know the engine is hot, it won’t turn the fan on.

There are three reliable ways to test for a possible blown headgasket.
(1) an inexpensive “lab kit” (my description) can test for the presence of hydrocarbons in the coolant. NOTE: do this when cold. It prevents getting splashed with hot coolant of over 200F.
(2) a “leakdown test” (the kit is inexpensive) can definitively test for a cylinder’s inability to hold pressure, a sign of a likely headgasket breech. Instructions come with the test kit.
(3) if there are bubbles coming up out of the fill hole in the radiator when the engine is running, they may be combustion gasses blowing through the headgasket breech and migrating to the system’s highest point; the fill hole.

One other possibility is eroded impellers on the water pump. You can do a flow test, again with the proper kit. It doesn’t happen all that often, but it does happen.

Another is a collapsed inner liner to a radiator hose. The hoses are an impregnated fabric “shell” outside of a rubber “liner”, and they can become separated and the inner portion close up under heat. The car isn’t that old, but your description of its history suggests that it’s been overheated, so the bond between the outer shell and the inner liner could have been damaged.

A T-stat is a really good thing to try first. Cheap, easy, and not an uncommon part failure.

Keep us advised, we do care. :smile:

What driving conditions cause it to overheat? Going fast on the freeway? Stop and go traffic? Idling while in the drive-through lane at a fast food place? If the latter, suggest to get the fan fixed with due speed. An idling engine will quickly overheat with a non-working fan. And enough to do costly damage to the engine. Likewise for the thermostat. Neither problem will be particularly expensive to fix I expect, if done quickly.

I’ve fixed a non-spinning fan on my Corolla a couple of times. In both instances it was caused by a faulty coolant temp switch. And I’ve had to replace the thermostat a couple times too. The symptoms I had for that was the engine failed to reach normal operating temperature, running a little too cold in other words. Inspection showed the thermostat to be corroded and stuck slightly ajar.

If the cooling fans aren’t working the engine will overheat. If the temperature sensor was failing your temperature gauge would not function properly. If you have this corrected promptly there should be no reason to believe the head gasket has been damaged. These engines have multi-layered stainless steel head gaskets and are very durable, I don’t know why people spread this rumor that the head gaskets are failing on 2.4 liter Chrysler engines.

Thanks, for the information. You were right on time.