Over heating of my 2001 PT cruser

Asked by Nd_lynn Jan 18, 2016 at 12:35 AM about the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited Wagon FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My car keeps over heating. Have replaced radiator cap and thermostat 3 times In
four months. Someone suggested to remove thermostat , can that be done?

7 Answers

1,745

Cause of the age of your vehicle, perhaps your radiator is somewhat plugged? The anti-freeze should be 50% water and 50% antifreeze depending on where you live. Problem is, many people/previous owners use tap water with contains contaminates which can leach on to the inside of hoses and especially to the thin inner core of the radiator over the 15 years your car has been on the road. A system flush at a reputable dealer would by the next thing to try.

1,745

I forgot to mention that one should use distilled water instead of tap water as the other 50%

...we found the radiator fan was not coming on on our 2004 p.t. ...we replaced it ...then found out it was just the relay switch needed replacing...It's been a learning experience with our cruzy...also ...when a local mechanic replaced the timing belt and had a new valve job(because of broken timing belt)...he left a screwdriver wedged in the fan so it wouldn't come on for some safety reason ...needless to say ...our first test drive down the road ...we overheated,,,,, raised the hood ...found the problem ...we were not happy campers...

I have replaced all these new parts so far.... radiator, had the head completely re-done ($424), head gasket kit, timing belt kit with water pump, thermostat/seal, tons of new sensors and switches. Needless to say I’m still overheating to find out the fan wasn’t kicking on and no it wasn’t a relay or fuse. We just put in a toggle switch to make the new fan work that I just bought. Check your oil dipstick to see if it has water in it and/or a creamy color (yes I now have this after everything I’ve just done) if so you can either have a cracked head, leaking valves in the head (that was what happened to mine), or a bad engine block. I only paid $700 for a mint condition Gold Dream Cruiser 92,000 miles too bad it was given to a tow company that I bought it from because I’ve already put double that into the car. UGH Chrysler should have had a recall on these cars for the overheating problems.

Your Answer:

PT Cruiser

Looking for a Used PT Cruiser in your area?

CarGurus has 13 nationwide PT Cruiser listings starting at $4,888.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Kelly Little Ashford
    Reputation
    4,520
  • #2
    Gypsy Rose
    Reputation
    3,370
  • #3
    docwade931
    Reputation
    2,910
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Volkswagen Beetle
7 Great Deals out of 155 listings starting at $712
Used Ford Mustang
65 Great Deals out of 1,259 listings starting at $4,995
Used Honda Accord
40 Great Deals out of 910 listings starting at $1,599
Used Toyota Corolla
108 Great Deals out of 2,035 listings starting at $2,795
Used Toyota Tundra
35 Great Deals out of 1,184 listings starting at $8,500
Used Chrysler Sebring
37 listings starting at $4,500
Used Jeep Grand Cherokee
109 Great Deals out of 3,238 listings starting at $4,995
Used Chevrolet Malibu
50 Great Deals out of 1,139 listings starting at $1,295

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.