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

Why is my Ford Fiesta overheating?

My 2006 Ford Fiesta 1.25 petrol has developed a coolant leak. When it initially happened the warning sign came up on the display and the temperature gauge was in the red. I stopped the car immediately and let it cool down before driving it again after topping up with water.

I traced the leak to the thermostat housing and replaced it. Although the leak has stopped I’ve noticed the fan doesn't turn on which is probably why the thermostat housing got the leak. I have tested the fan with a 12v direct feed and it works ok. I’ve also checked the fuses and wiring and can’t see any visible problems. Should I replace the coolant sensor or maybe a relay?

Asked on 30 July 2014 by 2006paulw

Answered by Honest John
The fault will be with the coolant sensor/sender switch which has probably failed and is not switching the fan on. You probably don't have a socket big enough to get the old one off so might need to borrow that.
Similar questions
Recently, when driving on a motorway after 20 minutes or so, the temp gauge of my 2005 Mondeo 2.0-litre petrol automatic moved into the red. However, if I coasted downhill, the gauge came off red. The...
My wife has an MGF that has developed a problem with the cooling water. All is well for most of the time, but when held up for any length of time, with the engine ticking over, the water temperature suddenly...
Our Citroen C5 overheated and as a result our local garage (who had very recently carried out an oil change etc plus MOT at 50,000 miles) found that the head gasket had blown and the head was distorted....
Related models
Good handling and comfortable ride. Tidy design. Reasonably spacious. Plenty of choice second-hand. Good reputation for reliability.