96DiamondVIII
11-29-2008, 12:47 AM
So I noticed Wednesday evening, as I was driving home from work, that my temperature gauge was in the far upper reaches of the green, just under the red. Instinctively I jacked the heat up to max and turned the blower on all the way, and the gauge went back down. It behaved the final half mile or so of the drive home, even staying in the middle when I had turned the heat back down to my normal setting (72/automatic). I popped the hood and looked around; the fan was turning, coolant was a little low but there was still some in the overflow tank, and I could not find any leaks. Nothing wet. It did look like at some point coolant had vented from the reservoir cap, as there where some white spots around the cap and on the left valve cover, but I could not determine how recent that might have been.
Later that evening, after it had a chance to cool down, I decided to drive to the auto parts store to pick up some coolant and see if the problem was still there. Behaved on the short drive to the store, but on the way back, the gauge climbed again. I cranked the heat and tried to turn the blower up, but the blower was unresponsive--wouldn't turn on no matter what position the control was in. Despite the absence of the blower, gauge went back to normal once the heat was cranked. There did appear to be heat at the vents, though it was very weak since the blower wasn't running. Took a short drive tonight and the symptoms were the same.
Ideas? My first assumption was thermostat, but the fact that the blower fan stopped working throws me a little, unless I might have tripped a relay somehow. The only work I've had done recently was an oil change last Sunday, and I don't know the last time (if ever) any work was done on the cooling system. Probably taking it for service either tomorrow or Monday, but I'd like to have a general idea so I don't get taken for something unnecessary. Thanks!
Later that evening, after it had a chance to cool down, I decided to drive to the auto parts store to pick up some coolant and see if the problem was still there. Behaved on the short drive to the store, but on the way back, the gauge climbed again. I cranked the heat and tried to turn the blower up, but the blower was unresponsive--wouldn't turn on no matter what position the control was in. Despite the absence of the blower, gauge went back to normal once the heat was cranked. There did appear to be heat at the vents, though it was very weak since the blower wasn't running. Took a short drive tonight and the symptoms were the same.
Ideas? My first assumption was thermostat, but the fact that the blower fan stopped working throws me a little, unless I might have tripped a relay somehow. The only work I've had done recently was an oil change last Sunday, and I don't know the last time (if ever) any work was done on the cooling system. Probably taking it for service either tomorrow or Monday, but I'd like to have a general idea so I don't get taken for something unnecessary. Thanks!