Running hot. Thermostat or leak?

Asked by Kammie Jun 17, 2016 at 12:04 PM about the 2002 Ford Taurus SE

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My 2002 ford taurus is losing water from
the reservoir area I'm not seeing any
noticeable leaks but I have to add water
pretty much.every time.I go somewhere it
just barely started doing this like today the
guy at auto zone said it's a thermostat and
it's running too hot at 204 while sitting
parked but 201/203 while.moving I'm not
mechanically inclined sold what to do

4 Answers

i'm not a mechanic as well, but it happened to me before with a busted water pump. check leaks not from the radiator but from where the water pump is located. hope this helps...

1,170

follow the large upper radiator hose there should be a housing with two bolts on top of the engine near the front.... also check the water pump it has a weep hole on a water pump goes bad the weep hole will allow water to bypass the pump and flow into the ground. If it's another one of those check your oil see if it it looks milky if so that is where the water is going and you have a cracked head or a blown head gasket

1 people found this helpful.
1,170

To finish up what I was saying in the beginning follow the radiator hose down to the end of the neck that will be your thermostat housing

14,475

The coolant bottle is a common problem on your car. You need to replace it and go from there, 205 and 210 are normal temps, the thermostat from the factory is rated at 210 degrees.

Your Answer:

Taurus

Looking for a Used Taurus in your area?

CarGurus has 81 nationwide Taurus listings starting at $3,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    3,990
  • #2
    MrBlueOval
    Reputation
    3,790
  • #3
    Christopher Paden
    Reputation
    3,180
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Ford Explorer
86 Great Deals out of 2,065 listings starting at $2,999
Used Ford F-150
321 Great Deals out of 14,968 listings starting at $1,712
Used Chevrolet Impala
9 Great Deals out of 107 listings starting at $4,632
Used Ford Mustang
65 Great Deals out of 1,259 listings starting at $4,995
Used Toyota Camry
52 Great Deals out of 985 listings starting at $2,212
Used Honda Accord
40 Great Deals out of 910 listings starting at $1,599
Used Jeep Grand Cherokee
109 Great Deals out of 3,238 listings starting at $4,995
Used Ford Focus
23 Great Deals out of 487 listings starting at $2,250
Used Ford Expedition
23 Great Deals out of 821 listings starting at $7,888
Used Dodge Durango
46 Great Deals out of 2,266 listings starting at $5,500

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.