Overheated again

[Sn8k Charmer]

Well this is the third time my Cobra has seen the flat bed (I have owned it exactly 2 months yesterday). Yesterday the AC stopped working and the temp guage was 3/4 of the from "overheating". When I shut it off the car dumped a large amount of fluid, again (this is the fifth time it has purged itself).

I called the dealer today, and the Service Manager said he wanted to diagnose the car and try to repair it. He said he wanted to fix it this time and if it breaks again he wouls call the Regional Rep. I told him he should call the Rep now because if it breaks again...it could be legally declared a lemon in Colorado. Should I really need to wait for the fourth time. It has only been two months. I even put exhaust (x-pipe and cat) and a Densecharger on since the last time (two weeks ago) it was in the shop because they assured me it was repaired. I should have known better...overheating problems are some of the worst problems to diagnosis.

I have never said this on a board before...but what would you do????

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

BTW I did call SVT and they said there were no known overheating problems for this car...so I should just continue to take it to the dealer. Needless to say I was/am not happy with the conversation with SVT.

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

Nobody has any help to offer?

 

[Tempest]

This won't help, but it is an observation. Your temp guage is slow to respond to your actual water temp, and it doesn't seem to be a linear response. If you use your digital odometer to read out the engine temp it will from 100 to nearly 120 celsius without the guage moving. Right around 120 the guage will suddenly begin rising to the 3/4 mark you observed. So it is possible you were slowly accumulating the heat in your engine. Also, when my car spits out fluid, it doesn't seem to be boiling over; rather it seems like the fluid has expanded beyond the capacity of the reservoir tank.

What kind of driving were you doing when this happened? Were you running up a long hill or were you in stop and go traffic?

I brainstormed about my own car with this problem and came up with these ideas:

1. The thermostat isn't properly closing off the return line and therefore not all the water is going through the radiator when the thermostat opens.

2. Trapped air or excessive air in the system.

3. It seems just a few of us have had this problem. Due to this, I cannot say these statistics are valid, but it seems like the cars that have this problem are high altitude cars. So...

3a. Radiator doesn't have the capacity to dissapate the generated heat with 30% less airflow at 5000 feet.

3b. Something about the high-altitude pricipal use option causing the problem on some cars (do you have this option?).

4. Your electric fan isn't coming on properly (I have a manual switch, so it isn't the source of my problems, but it could be yours)

Which dealership are you taking your car to? I am planning on taking mine in for other minor warrenty stuff in a couple of weeks and if it is the same dealership I will mention my overheating problems so they will start taking it more seriously. When you get the car back, start driving around with the odometer set to monitor the engine temp and start really seeing what the temperature is doing.

Good luck

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

Originally posted by Tempest
...when my car spits out fluid, it doesn't seem to be boiling over; rather it seems like the fluid has expanded beyond the capacity of the reservoir tank.

Mine actually throws-up for about a half hour or so...loses a lot of fluid. I then call for a tow.

What kind of driving were you doing when this happened? Were you running up a long hill or were you in stop and go traffic?

Stop and Go Traffic...then it broke free and temp would not recover.

I brainstormed about my own car with this problem and came up with these ideas:

1. The thermostat isn't properly closing off the return line and therefore not all the water is going through the radiator when the thermostat opens.

Replaced last time

2. Trapped air or excessive air in the system.

They said they bleed the system last time.

3. It seems just a few of us have had this problem. Due to this, I cannot say these statistics are valid, but it seems like the cars that have this problem are high altitude cars. So...

3a. Radiator doesn't have the capacity to dissapate the generated heat with 30% less airflow at 5000 feet.

3b. Something about the high-altitude pricipal use option causing the problem on some cars (do you have this option?).

Yes my car has the "high-altitude pricipal use" option.

4. Your electric fan isn't coming on properly (I have a manual switch, so it isn't the source of my problems, but it could be yours)

Fans are coming on...you can tell by turning on the AC. They will immediately turn on.

Which dealership are you taking your car to? I am planning on taking mine in for other minor warrenty stuff in a couple of weeks and if it is the same dealership I will mention my overheating problems so they will start taking it more seriously. When you get the car back, start driving around with the odometer set to monitor the engine temp and start really seeing what the temperature is doing.

Courtesy Ford

Good luck

Thanks...I am really concerned that this situation is going to get ugly. And that is not why I purchased this car. I would ask for a replacement but I have lost faith in the car. And that does make me sad because I rechecked my paperwork and I have not had the car for 60 days yet...

 

[Tempest]

OK. More ideas:

1. Perhaps that assembly the thermostat fits in is defective which prevents the return line from being blocked correctly by the thermostat

2. It takes a while to bleed out all the air. In fact the Cobra R's have a degas bottle to help remove the dissolved gas from the coolant constantly.

3. The high altitude stuff is just a remote possibility because I haven't heard others around having this problem (unless they don't do stop and go driving).

When mine does it, it also seems to take a long time to recover. I'll take mine out this afternoon since it is another hot day and watch the digital readout to see if I can better document what is going on (I changed to a 40/60 mix of antifreeze to water plus Redline water wetter and haven't had any overheating problems since--however it hasn't been that hot either).

I take mine to the same dealership. Maybe I'll take mine in sooner than I was going to. Perhaps you could PM me your service advisors' name so everyone is aware of multiple cars having this symptom.

Perhaps it's just that sonic blue and high altitude combination--maybe we should try white or yellow! ;-)

 

[03cobra#116]

I have had mine over a year now and have 16000 miles on it. The temperature needle has never been past the half way point.

But I would be worried about a car that has overheated.

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

Originally posted by 03cobra#116
But I would be worried about a car that has overheated.

You hit the nail on the head. I told the Service Manager the car has overheat multiple times and that is possibly the worst thing that can happen to your engine (besides complete failure), because who knows what kind of damage the heat has done in each instance of over-heating. I really think that this engine is done for...sooner or later.

Guy please don't get me wrong, I love this car's performance, but it is not worth it for me; this is supposes to be my daily driver. As such I need it to be dependable, and so far this car is anything but that. I am sure if you don't have problems up front, more than likely you won't have them later.

 

[mswaim]

Sounds like its time to involve the Regional Rep due to the multiple overheats and your concerns (rightfully so) for the overall health of the motor. Overheating sucks, especially on these motors. Thank goodness mine runs okay even with our 107 degree days and the A/C running. My 97 Cobra was okay until I stuck a Vortech S-trim unit on it, then it had all kinds of heating issues. I finally got a handle on it, but it took throwing money at it with aftermarket parts.

Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

My full story sucks even worse...so here goes.

In January of this year I traded my 1996 Tangerine Mustang - Paxton Equipped on the Viper ACR (new at dealer). I got rid of it after years of overheating problems...I finally just gave up. A couple months ago I noticed the Viper was running hot...so I just recently took it to the dealer (doesn't run hot till it is hot outside). It still needs to return to finish diagnosing it...it will probably go in next week sometime. All-the-while my 2003 Cobra has now boiled over 5 seperate times...

I can easily say...damn, I am hot. I really think this stupid altitude has a lot to do with the temp issues. I had the 1996 Mustang in South Florida for a while and it didn't have the same kind of overheating issues there as it did here. I am sure it is an air-fuel, lean/rich problem.

 

[JD03Cobra]

Originally posted by Sn8k Charmer

Guy please don't get me wrong, I love this car's performance, but it is not worth it for me; this is supposes to be my daily driver. As such I need it to be dependable, and so far this car is anything but that.

Exactly! I have a similar concern. Being that mine has been flat bedded twice in 3 months I don't trust it for nothing. At least not for a while. I'm so damn paranoid with the RPM inconsistency at idle. I'm just waiting for it to stall.

If it were me I would lemon law it and wouldn't consider another. I was just as excitied as anyone on this board when I first got it but man this crap makes it your worst nightmare.

At least you can jump in your Viper. My Cobra is my Viper.

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

Latest update....

They want me to pick the car up this evening. They have made no repairs on the vehicle. Service Manager drove the car this afternoon and it ran hot (AC stopped working) but the car didn't "overheat". So I will pick the car up...drive it until it overheats again. Then, legally the car is a lemon...and they are well aware of this. They did extend my warranty, with hopes that this last "radiator flush" solved the problem (this was done before the Service Manager drove the car). I can't believe this situation. The Service Manager said if car comes back again they will immediately call the Regional Rep to seek "resolve" while still trying to repair my vehicle. He said they will probably try to replace my car with another Cobra. I told him at this point I do not want another one...as this is the second Mustang I have owned with overheating issues. I just want a different type of car (and there really is no other Ford product that is a like-for-like replacement). I really do believe this is a poorly handled situation. Why in the world would I want another Ford product.

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

BTW does anyone in (preferably) Colorado want a great deal on a MagnaFlow system (Catted X-Pipe and Cat Back) as well as a DenseCharger. Car still sounds and runs awesome with these upgardes, until mine overheats...these upgrades were done a couple weeks ago. These upgrades have not contributed to my overheating issues.

 

[Killer Cobra]

Originally posted by Sn8k Charmer
Latest update....

Service Manager drove the car this afternoon and it ran hot (AC stopped working) but the car didn't "overheat".

That's not the right answer. If the AC kicked off then something is wrong. I wouldn't pick the car up. Start calling the big dawgs at the dealership. Get everyone involved. It took some "bitching" but it finally got things done right at the dealership. I can't beleive he said to pick it up knowing the AC was failing due to being to hot. Good luck and keep us posted!

Steve

 

[cobrapete03']

Sorry to hear about your troubles...What altitude are you at?...There is approximately a 3 % drop in oxygen content for every 1k feet...So you figure your engine is working a lot harder at that altitude than a similar car at sea level...Are you positively sure that all the air is bled from your cooling system???...For some reason it just sounds like you might have air eventhough you stated that was all checked by the dealer:rollseyes Sometimes if you want the job done right...Where does your car run usually w/ rspt. to the temperature gauge???Mine stays about one needle thickness to left of the middle regardless of the type of driving, A/C, etc...Thats here in Cali where the days have been around 100+ for the last week or so...It really sucks that your car has overheated twice now...Unfortunately problems stemming from the overheating might not reveal themselves for thousands of miles...So I dont blame you one bit for wanting to get rid of the car...My families old (departed) Aerostar 3.0 L V6 van pegged the temperature gauge charging up the Rocky Mountains with only 1.5 k miles on it...Drove it for 10 miles with the gauge pegged (No place to pull over on the summit)...Pulled over at a Chevron..>Replaced thermostat (shut closed)...Filled with coolant...Drove off everything seemed fine..>Was fine for 30k additional miles (no repairs)..>Then one day the van starts up with a very pronounced "knock" sounded like a lazy lifter...Anyway the rings in four cylinders fractured under the extreme heat on the mountain, worked their way up the side of the cylinder wall over a years time and ended up on top of the pistons, slapping against the valves/rotating assembly...So long story short...Damage was done from one overheating incident....It just took 1+ yr for the problem to show itself....So get rid of that car...You dont want any more problems to present themselves from this incident...


-pete:coolman:

 

[ArizonaSnake]

If you decide to lemon the car... go for the Mercury Marauder!
Have 'em give you one of them and some money. The Marauder is scheduled as a one year car. Nice collectibility. Also it is a sweet road car. You got the Viper for the testosterone thing... get the Marauder for your feminine side! :rollseyes

 

[Sn8k Charmer]

We are at 5280 ft in Denver...If I take this car to the mountains it can increase up to 9000-10,000 feet. My car's boost is the same as you guys at sea-level (my car has an option called high altitude principal use) so that to me means the car works much harder than at sea-level.

I did ask the dealer if they purged the cooling system. They said they have done it every single time it has been in.

My temp gauge usually runs just below half, but it has seen just before the red and last time it was at 3/4 the way up before the AC shut off. Last time, the car did not "boil over" until I shut it off.

I guess at this point I know it will be back to see them, I just don't know how they are going to handle me not wanting another Cobra. I owe more than MSRP on my loan so what will they do?

 

[cobrapete03']

Well I assume you put a down payment on the car and have made payments to date, Yes?....If you pursue the lemon law..>You should be reimbursed your downpayment, car payments, trips to the dealers, any aftermarket parts (receipts?), time away from work, etc...Then they will look at the mileage and deduct $0.1X/mile for useage of the car plus any other damage that might have occured during your possession of the vehicle(I'm sure its clean)....So assuming you dont have too many miles and the car is very clean...You should be getting back some $$ and it doesnt really matter about the MSRP price either current or past....Its their loss not entirely yours....You will just be somewhat inconvienced by the whole process...Hope this helps.


-pete:coolman:

 

[Friendchicken]

Have you considered taking it to a specialized shop? Maybe put in a high-flow thermostat or swap out the rad for a better one? It sounds like something that goes with the territory (literally).

But, on the other hand... that dealer doesn't sound like they deserve your business.

Do other hi-po vehicles have these same issues in your area?