Getting Dealership to Replicate Overheating

[SrsBsns]

So I overheated again a few weeks ago when I took my '15 up to Big Bear. The car was great until I started going up the mountain and it overheated so quickly.

The coolant levels are full, the oil is fresh and full, the radiator fan is working, but I just can't seem to go uphill.

I took the car into the dealership because the replaced a bad hose (reservoir to back of the block) last year and I wanted them to take a look at that, along with they system, before I go in and upgrade the radiator (when is the next Mountune sale?). However, in the few days that they've had the car, they haven't been able to recreate the overheating.

At idle, the car is fine. Temps can get up to 215-220, but they'll just hover there.

Is there a way that the dealership could recreate this without having access to drive up a mountain?

 

[OneFord]

Not likely unless you have a 99+ degree day and do some hard driving.

Maybe you had an air bubble in the coolant system. I say just throw a radiator upgrade on the her and be done.

 

[SrsBsns]

Not likely unless you have a 99+ degree day and do some hard driving.

Maybe you had an air bubble in the coolant system. I say just throw a radiator upgrade on the her and be done.

Yeah, I'm going to. I'm just waiting for Mountune to have a sale to save a couple of bucks.

 

[OneFord]

Yeah, I'm going to. I'm just waiting for Mountune to have a sale to save a couple of bucks.

They just had a labor day sale but I think it was only 10% off the rad

 

[SrsBsns]

They just had a labor day sale but I think it was only 10% off the rad

I checked and it didn't apply to the radiator. I had it in the cart and the code wouldn't take. Sad...

 

[OneFord]

I checked and it didn't apply to the radiator. I had it in the cart and the code wouldn't take. Sad...

That is sad.

I'm holding out on a rad upgrade until next spring since I live in Michigan and summer is now officially over lol

 

[Dpro]

Black Friday will be the next sale.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

OP - have you made sure the little flappydoodles behind the radiator open properly? I don't know if it makes a difference, but I was under my car and found a couple of the flappy things had come out of their grooves and were stuck shut. I reseated the ends of the... flappydoodles... and they seemed to move freely afterwards.

I do not know if this makes a substantive difference, but figured it might be worth a gander.

 

[SrsBsns]

OP - have you made sure the little flappydoodles behind the radiator open properly? I don't know if it makes a difference, but I was under my car and found a couple of the flappy things had come out of their grooves and were stuck shut. I reseated the ends of the... flappydoodles... and they seemed to move freely afterwards.

I do not know if this makes a substantive difference, but figured it might be worth a gander.

Yep, fins/flappydoodles are working fine. When I pulled over while overheating, I had the vents on full heat and I popped the hood to make sure the fan and fins were working. The fan was spinning and the fins were open. So I know the air is flowing, I just don't think the radiator can shed heat as fast as the motor can build it when I'm driving up a mountain road.

I'm wondering if I have air in the lines or something like that because I wasn't even pushing when the car started overheating. Seems like you should be able to drive up a mountain, especially if you're not pushing the pace.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

Yep, fins/flappydoodles are working fine. When I pulled over while overheating, I had the vents on full heat and I popped the hood to make sure the fan and fins were working. The fan was spinning and the fins were open. So I know the air is flowing, I just don't think the radiator can shed heat as fast as the motor can build it when I'm driving up a mountain road.

I'm wondering if I have air in the lines or something like that because I wasn't even pushing when the car started overheating. Seems like you should be able to drive up a mountain, especially if you're not pushing the pace.

I'm up in OC, and the other day driving like an asshat in ~102f temps with the AC on I never got above 50%.

Have you ever replaced the coolant/bled the cooling system? I would *guess* they'd swap out the coolant when they did the hoses, but they might've only drained enough to get the hose off.

 

[SrsBsns]

I'm up in OC, and the other day driving like an asshat in ~102f temps with the AC on I never got above 50%.

Have you ever replaced the coolant/bled the cooling system? I would *guess* they'd swap out the coolant when they did the hoses, but they might've only drained enough to get the hose off.

I've been using my AP to read temps and normally they hang out around 190-200, but I've seen spikes up to 220. The idiot gauge reads dead center throughout that range.

I've never had to replace or bleed the cooling system myself. When I brought the car in and had them replace the faulty hose, I would have assumed that they properly bled the system. Then again... assumptions and dealerships probably don't really pair well.

The dealership just let me know that the car is ready to be picked up and that they couldn't replicate the problem. So I'm going to make sure that they bled the system properly last time it was there and then just replace the radiator during the next Mountune sale... probably black Friday.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

I've been using my AP to read temps and normally they hang out around 190-200, but I've seen spikes up to 220. The idiot gauge reads dead center throughout that range.

I've never had to replace or bleed the cooling system myself. When I brought the car in and had them replace the faulty hose, I would have assumed that they properly bled the system. Then again... assumptions and dealerships probably don't really pair well.

The dealership just let me know that the car is ready to be picked up and that they couldn't replicate the problem. So I'm going to make sure that they bled the system properly last time it was there and then just replace the radiator during the next Mountune sale... probably black Friday.

bleeding cooling systems would be so much easier if you could clamp your car into a dealie and flip it upside down like they do with F1 cars

 

[Flaco]

I've been using my AP to read temps and normally they hang out around 190-200, but I've seen spikes up to 220. The idiot gauge reads dead center throughout that range.

I've never had to replace or bleed the cooling system myself. When I brought the car in and had them replace the faulty hose, I would have assumed that they properly bled the system. Then again... assumptions and dealerships probably don't really pair well.

I've had the Mishimoto radiator for 3 years. Installed it pretty quick after buying my 2016 FiST. Threw the stock rad in the dumpster. I've never seen temps over 200. And here in Georgia we regularly see temps 95-100 degrees in the summer. Drove the Tail of the Dragon this past weekend and didn't go over 195 degrees. New radiator is worth the peace of mind. If your reading 190-200 degrees with the stock radiator, in normal driving I'd say you got a good one from the jump. Maybe it just needs a proper bleed.

 

[maestromaestro]

Mishimoto? Mine has been working without problems for the last 4 years.

 

[vixenlotus]

my car overheats all the time. Dealer has told me multiple times nothing is wrong with the car. In the summer i have to drive with the heat on if i get stuck in traffic. I will not be buying another ford again.

 

[vwturbofam]

my car overheats all the time. Dealer has told me multiple times nothing is wrong with the car. In the summer i have to drive with the heat on if i get stuck in traffic. I will not be buying another ford again.

Same exact boat right now. Car at dealership and techs trying to replicate. If it's not addressed this time around, I'm trading it in.

 

[Dpro]

Same exact boat right now. Car at dealership and techs trying to replicate. If it's not addressed this time around, I'm trading it in.

This is a trip because I live in SoCal and even before I swapped out my radiator I only overheated once and that was on a spirited Canyon run in 90 degree weather with my air on . Air was on because I forgot to turn it off at the bottom of the mountain.
Needless to say this overheating thing seems to be hit and miss.

I recently swapped out my stock for a Mountune and did not look back and I have done Canyon runs in 100 degree temps with no issue.
If you are having issues why don’t you swap out for a Mishimoto or Mountune. Its a known fact the stock radiator is small and not designed for North American climates. Remember Turbo cars tend to run hotter than NA cars anyways.
It seemed like a no brainer to me to just swap out for a bigger aluminum radiator especially since the stock one has plastic end tanks and from my experience in the BMW world plastic end tanks can and do explode. Had one do it on one of my M3’s . Solution? Get an Aluminum radiator . Never had an issue again.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Same exact boat right now. Car at dealership and techs trying to replicate. If it's not addressed this time around, I'm trading it in.

Find out what thermostat is in there....The coolant systems are inadequate on these cars especially for those in super hot climates. If the thermostat is the Higher temp one that would be a good place to start with the 180 degree option only to lower the temps some but not a lot. Next up....as blasphemy as it is...you could get a tune and the Tuner can adjust when the radiator fans come on also to help with temps.

 

[PunkST]

Stock cooling system with no issues. I bought it in winter and was literally beating on the car 10 minutes into owning it. Lol, maybe i blew all the air bubbles out?

 

[vwturbofam]

This is a trip because I live in SoCal and even before I swapped out my radiator I only overheated once and that was on a spirited Canyon run in 90 degree weather with my air on . Air was on because I forgot to turn it off at the bottom of the mountain.
Needless to say this overheating thing seems to be hit and miss.

I recently swapped out my stock for a Mountune and did not look back and I have done Canyon runs in 100 degree temps with no issue.
If you are having issues why don’t you swap out for a Mishimoto or Mountune. Its a known fact the stock radiator is small and not designed for North American climates. Remember Turbo cars tend to run hotter than NA cars anyways.
It seemed like a no brainer to me to just swap out for a bigger aluminum radiator especially since the stock one has plastic end tanks and from my experience in the BMW world plastic end tanks can and do explode. Had one do it on one of my M3’s . Solution? Get an Aluminum radiator . Never had an issue again.

Yeah, I actually have the Whoosh V3 intercooler waiting to be installed for the past month, b4 the overheating started. I guess I could just go ahead and get the upgraded radiator as well, and get it installed the same time. Thanks for all the inputs! I think I was trying to justify getting a new car, but I love the FiST. It's just that the Ford dealerships I've dealt with are horrible considering I'm still way under warranty.