What does it mean when the water bucket with the fan inside light comes on inside the car it the meter goes up and the car cuts off.

Asked by Marshay Jun 28, 2015 at 02:05 PM about the 2000 Ford Contour 4 Dr SE Sedan

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

3 Answers

635

It means your car is overheating. Check your coolant level. This is summertime so you can run pure water in without antifreeze (unless you expect to be in a location where your car is going to be in freezing temps). Check your overflow tank that should be filled to either hot or cold, depending on if you drove your car or not. IF you did not drive it and your car is cool, open the radiator cap and fill it with water ONLY! you might have a coolant leak and you don't want antifreeze everywhere. If by the next day it is all gone again, then you probably have a leaky water pump or a leaky radiator (both are very common).

1 people found this helpful.
635

BTW. If your car does not leak (which it probably is) you need to remember to change back to a 50/50 mix of water/antifreeze before OCT. Any reputable shop should be able to handle this problem with relative ease. OR if you want to save hundreds of dollars in labor costs, have a mechanical handy family member do it. It is not that mechanically difficult to perform if one is already inclined to do such jobs.

1 people found this helpful.
144,795

If your car has ran hot,check your thermostat,and water pump,and of course check for leaks to start with.

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