I was stuck in traffic for almost an hour yesterday which was very start, stop. Upon nearly arriving at my destination. The STOP light was flashing and the temp gauge was in the red. I pulled over and let the car cool down for around half hour. Turned the car back on and the temp gauge had dropped to around 90 degrees. So thought it was ok to carry on with the rest of my journey. Not the case, only got around a mile and a half and the STOP light came on and on the dash 'engine coolant temp too high' came on also. I was driving with my blowers on full but then all of a sudden there was only cold air coming through. Could this be a blockage in the pipe work not allowing the engine coolant to circulate or could it be another problem? It was too dark when I got home to check the coolant levels and haven't manage to check again this morning as was too dark when I left for work.
However the same problem happened on my way to work. Drove almost 6 miles and the STOP light came on and 'engine coolant level too high'. Didn't drive with the blowers on and only used my headlights and indicators.
Is it low on coolant? You say you still haven't checked and topped it up which could be a fatal mistake if it is overheating as you will damage the engine.
Also did it actually feel very hot? 206 temp sensors have a habit of failing and making you think you are overheating when you aren't!
Family Fleet: ex-Cayman Green 206 CC 2.0 LE, Indigo Blue 206 1.4 HDi Hatchback, Subaru BRZ Auto, Alfa Romeo MiTo
I haven't managed to check it at the moment as i'm at work. Will check it before I leave and top it up if appropriate.
Don't know if it had actually over heated or not as just took it at face value. Needed to be somewhere so parked it up and left it to cool down and came back to it.
It sounds to me as if the coolant needs topping up. Use the correct anti-freeze mix. As gazza says, don't run the car when it is low on coolant.
This happened to my daughter's 207 recently. The coolant level had dropped because the radiator was leaking. A new radiator was the cure.
Ron
"If it ain't broke don't fix it!"
Golf 1.5 Tsi Evo SE Nav Estate Atlantic Blue
Polo 1.0 SEL DSG Reef Blue (wife's)
(Previously owned a 2005 206CC 1.6 Allure Moonstone for 10 years)
Dont use radweld if there are leaks.
Dont drive if the car is overheating as it will damage the engine and significantly reduce its lifespan.
Dont undo radiator cap on hot engine.
Just a thought. Your car is 11 years old. Has the timing belt ever been renewed? If not it is overdue. A snapped belt will wreck the engine.
If it hasn't been renewed then best practice is to renew the water pump and coolant at the same time as the timing belt, tensioner and follower pulleys and you will need to refill with fresh anti-freeze mixture after flushing the cooling system too. To do otherwise is false economy. If your radiator isn't leaking the cooling system may be gunged up after 11 years and/or the water pump impeller may have corroded away or the pump be leaking.
Proper renewal of the timing belt and ancilliaries mentioned above should cure it and give the engine another 10 years with regular maintenance.
Ron
"If it ain't broke don't fix it!"
Golf 1.5 Tsi Evo SE Nav Estate Atlantic Blue
Polo 1.0 SEL DSG Reef Blue (wife's)
(Previously owned a 2005 206CC 1.6 Allure Moonstone for 10 years)
Hi, had this problem too, and most times the car wouldn't start in the mornings. We changed the coolant, wax thermostat, coolant temperature sensor, cleaned the earth to head body and battery and replaced 2 fan relays; no improvement. After running and volt check to coolant sensor and negative to coolant sensor continuity test; still no answer. Decided to earth negative coolant wire straight to engine and this sorted the difficulties around starting the car; fired up first time. Only problem then was that when driving got "anti pollution fault" and car went into limp home mode.
Still felt that it must be an earthing issue and searched some more. Took out ECU and front off side headlight cluster, next to screen wash filler found important body earth, very corroded, cleaned this and the car now works perfectly. Hope this helps.
