What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Why is my Fiat 500 overheating?

My Fiat 500 was recently recovered after overheating. The radiator reservoir was empty and the garage diagnosed a leaking small radiator behind the dashboard (this had been replaced last year along with all the other air con components after the air con failed). The garage replaced this again under warranty last week.

However, after a single motorway trip of 400 miles the water level has dropped from max to min and there is a drip beneath the engine. Is this a known fault on the TwinAir engines or can you suggest any reason for the leak?

Asked on 10 April 2014 by Coline

Answered by Honest John
Not a normal problem of the TwinAir. And I hadn't heard of heater matrixes failing in 500s before either. But if the heater matrix failed and you ran for a time with low coolant then there could be airlocks in the cooling system and these can blow coolant out of the pressure cap of the reservoir. With luck, once the airlocks are purged, the car should be okay again. See: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/cooling-system-airlocks/
Similar questions
I have had the water pump and thermostat in my 2002 Ford Fiesta replaced, but the water is over heating and coming out of the tank on top of the engine.
I've recently changed my 2001 Peugeot 306's water pump but the coolant doesn't seem to circulate. I've even removed the thermostat. One of the radiator pipes is very hot and the other is cold. I've checked...
I think my car has an air block somewhere. It starts every time, cold or hot, with no sludge or mayonnaise anywhere but when driving, the car gets hot and starts making gurgling noises from where you put...
Related models
Stylish and full of character. Really affordable to buy. Low running costs.
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 12% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ21 to save on an ALA policy

See offer