2001 Buick Century cooling

Tiny
GRABOWSKI
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 BUICK CENTURY
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 91,000 MILES
I have a question, my cars temperture gauge seems to go up when I sit in traffic for a while and it is hot out. It goes over the half way mark, as never gone to the red line. It goes down as soon as I start moving. It does not go up when I am driving.
Sunday, September 21st, 2008 AT 7:57 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Hi:

It sounds like an easy fix. If I had to guess without seeing the car, I would say the cooling fan is not coming on. As a result, there is no air flow when you're stopped causing the engine to run hotter. An easy way to check is to open the hood, start the engine, and allow the vehicle to run until the gauge goes toward the hot area. The fan has a temperature sensor that should turn it on at a specific temp.

If the fan doesn't come on, either the motor is bad, or the temp sensor is bad. However, the sensor should have triggered a code in the computer. Is the check engine light on?

Let me know.
Joe
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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 AT 7:32 PM

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