Any car Savvy people? need help

[WhiteIphone5]

i have a Ford Taurus 1996, recently when my car is idle, the engine temp goes up. When i drive it stays at a normal temperature. AC works, heater doesn't btw. what should i do? have anyone experienced this before?

[jessica.]

Is your fan coming on when idling?
When your car is idling there is no air moving through the radiator so there is nothing to keep the engine cool, thus the fan should kick on. If the fan doesn't kick on then the temp will rise and could cause damage if the temp is hitting the red zone. If it is a small rise and the fan is on, then this is not abnormal. The fan, even though on, won't produce the air that you can get just by driving. If the temp isn't going down when driving then you should stop driving.

I had two issues with an older car; a water pump needed to be replaced and my fan wasn't kicking on. Both were fixed together.

[WhiteIphone5]

Originally Posted by jessica.

Is your fan coming on when idling?
When your car is idling there is no air moving through the radiator so there is nothing to keep the engine cool, thus the fan should kick on. If the fan doesn't kick on then the temp will rise and could cause damage if the temp is hitting the red zone. If it is a small rise and the fan is on, then this is not abnormal. The fan, even though on, won't produce the air that you can get just by driving. If the temp isn't going down when driving then you should stop driving.

I had two issues with an older car; a water pump needed to be replaced and my fan wasn't kicking on. Both were fixed together.

i can hear the fans trying to come on. whatever it is it must be either water pump or a new fan right? i know the price depends on model and all but can you gave me an estimate of how much it costed you?

[Btrthnezr3]

Heater could also be related to the thermostat and perhaps radiator?

I had the similar issue with an older civic and we ended up replacing thermostat, radiator, radiator cap, and unfortunately...head gasket.

It didn't get fixed until head gasket but it was the most costly. Mechanic said that it most likely overheated too many times and warped the head. Had to have the head milled as well.

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by WhiteIphone5

i can hear the fans trying to come on. whatever it is it must be either water pump or a new fan right? i know the price depends on model and all but can you gave me an estimate of how much it costed you?

Check your thermostat too. Might be at idle, coolant isn't hot enough to trip it, and once load is placed, opens it/ or once moving, the radiator cools it enough via wind. The fact the heater doesn't work, wants me to say either thermostat or water pump. Are you low on coolant?


Depends on the car. Could be a few hundred to a few grand. When I replaced my waterpump, radiator, timing belt, and thermostat (smart to do together as the labor is about the same to get to each part), it was 1500

[jessica.]

If it is a pump and thermostat I think the parts alone could be $150-$200 give or take. Labor though is where they'll get you. If you didn't warp the head then you're okay but a car that age, I guess it would make sense to replace that as well. You could possibly do it yourself if you have the know-how but if you don't know what is wrong, at least take it in to see.

[WhiteIphone5]

Originally Posted by jessica.

If it is a pump and thermostat I think the parts alone could be $150-$200 give or take. Labor though is where they'll get you. If you didn't warp the head then you're okay but a car that age, I guess it would make sense to replace that as well. You could possibly do it yourself if you have the know-how but if you don't know what is wrong, at least take it in to see.

hum oh ok. I was thinking of probably selling the car then, maybe a person who has time to get it fixed and all. Got 2K saved up.(im a college student). What good car brands are durable?

[Btrthnezr3]

I've had good luck with Honda (don't get 02-05 civic), and Toyota.

[Pjr772]

Hyundai and Kia are very reliable cars and come with a 10yr/100k warranty which speaks volumes about how confident they are with their product. My wife has the new Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and loves it.

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I can also vouch for Toyota. I have been driving them for years and haven't had to do anything but normal maintenance

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by WhiteIphone5

hum oh ok. I was thinking of probably selling the car then, maybe a person who has time to get it fixed and all. Got 2K saved up.(im a college student). What good car brands are durable?

Getting a diagnosis/estimate is free at most shops and if not, a minimal cost

Could be something simple. Why pay for a new car when a potential cheap fix is all thats needed?

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Originally Posted by Pjr772

Hyundai and Kia are very reliable cars and come with a 10yr/100k warranty which speaks volumes about how confident they are with their product. My wife has the new Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and loves it.

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I can also vouch for Toyota. I have been driving them for years and haven't had to do anything but normal maintenance

I would assume the OP would buy used as 2k is hardly anything to put down on a car. Even with 2k down, a recent car would still result in multiple hundreds a month in payments for years to come

[Pjr772]

Originally Posted by dukebound85

Getting a diagnosis/estimate is free at most shops and if not, a minimal cost

Could be something simple. Why pay for a new car when a potential cheap fix is all thats needed?

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I would assume the OP would buy used as 2k is hardly anything to put down on a car. Even with 2k down, a recent car would still result in multiple hundreds a month in payments for years to come

True. All the more reason to look towards a used Hyundai or Kia. Should be able to get a 3 or 4 year old with warranty still intact.

[jessica.]

Originally Posted by WhiteIphone5

hum oh ok. I was thinking of probably selling the car then, maybe a person who has time to get it fixed and all. Got 2K saved up.(im a college student). What good car brands are durable?

Well, like others say, I would get that estimate but I'm a fan of Honda and Toyota as well. Just see how much it really is to fix. These are all hypothetical until you get someone to look at the actual car.

[Fezwick]

Most likely it's the fan. The temp spiking at idle is a dead giveaway. Is it a mechanical (belt driven) or electric fan? If it's mechanical, the fan itself is attached to a clutch. Once the clutch craps out, the fan doesn't spin quick enough. If it's electric, maybe the motor died, or there is a problem with the wiring.

No heat could be a clogged heater core.

[WhiteIphone5]

Originally Posted by Btrthnezr3

I've had good luck with Honda (don't get 02-05 civic), and Toyota.

Honda accord ok?

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Originally Posted by dukebound85

Getting a diagnosis/estimate is free at most shops and if not, a minimal cost

Could be something simple. Why pay for a new car when a potential cheap fix is all thats needed?

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I would assume the OP would buy used as 2k is hardly anything to put down on a car. Even with 2k down, a recent car would still result in multiple hundreds a month in payments for years to come

definitely not a car from a dealer lol. like i said, im a college student and have a part time job. but if repair costs more than 1000 might as well sell my current car and upgrade to a newer model. Craigslist is always there

[Btrthnezr3]

Accords are good cars. I only don't recommend 02-05 civics because that's the one we had so much problem with overheating and after googling it was a pretty widespread problem. I'd take a 96-00 civic over one of those 01-05 any day.

[quagmire]

Originally Posted by Btrthnezr3

Accords are good cars. I only don't recommend 02-05 civics because that's the one we had so much problem with overheating and after googling it was a pretty widespread problem. I'd take a 96-00 civic over one of those 01-05 any day.

I would also avoid the '02-'04 Accord's as well( I believe those were the years) as they had transmission issues.