[Toast]

Hey guys, my FiST has about 56k miles on it now, so I'm well out of warranty, but I've got a problem that I'm not sure how to solve.
Last summer, my car overheated a couple of times while driving home from work (freeway driving at 70-80mph for a long time, but no aggressive acceleration). I checked the coolant, and it was slightly low but not excessively so. I topped off the fluid and brought it in (still under warranty then) and they checked but could not find any leaks. Now, a year later and driving home yesterday I nearly overheated again (temp gauge maxed out, warning light on) when trying to pass (accelerating from 50 to 60 mph). I live in Utah, so temperature get pretty high, but these overheatings happened when it was 90-100° outside. My commute is an hour long, so is that what's getting things so hot, or does it sound like there's additional issues? I'm not sure what could be causing this outside of a coolant leak, which if I have one is extremely slow.

 

[Ronbo]

This may not apply to you, but I remember there were a number of 2014 model year cars built with defective radiators causing overheating.


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[Toast]

Thanks for the tip Ronbo, I googled around on that and mine was built in that timeframe. Just checked my coolant again and I'm a good couple of centimeters below the minimum mark, so it looks like I may have a slow leak somewhere, too. There's no coolant on the floor of my garage and none under the dash, which narrows it down a bit.

 

[UnsungFate]

possible head gasket leak? you should check for blowby.. the hot gasses could be seeping into the coolant during the power cycle heating up your coolant temps..


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[Toast]

UnsungFate, that's what I'm worried it could be...I'm taking it in to the dealer Friday since my AC just went out, I'll have them look into any potential head gasket or other coolant leaks then.

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[Spaceman_Spiff]

Would being a little low on coolant cause an overheat while driving on the highway? I could see while sitting still with no air moving over it. is it possible the "active grille shutter system" is not opening or something? Just something else to consider/check.

 

[Toast]

Well, it just overheated again yesterday after I topped off the coolant, I think there's a deeper problem. We'll find out tomorrow morning...

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[Toast]

Took it in, they fixed the AC but said they couldn't replicate the overheating issue. Six hours later I was getting on the freeway and it overheated again. Back into the dealership on Monday...

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[ltdorn]

you try swapping out the thermostat?

 

[Toast]

It's still at the dealer, not sure if they've looked at the thermostat yet.

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[UnsungFate]

Sunday and Monday were crazy hot! luckily, I didn't have to drive my FiST until sun down...., but my econoline blew a tire on the freeway Monday.. pain in the ass changing tires in the sun.
anyway, good luck with your car. this summer is going to be brutal


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[Simplyj]

My bone stock 2016 FiST with 7k mi overheated last Friday and almost stranded me at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel heading towards NYC. The dealership has had it since Monday and still hasn't fully diagnosed what caused the overheating, however, there is apparently a recall for the fan clutch. They have the parts on order to replace and road test it to see if that is the fix before delving in any further.

According to the dealer, it is a non safety recall which is why there was no notice sent. Mine overheated as I was in tunnel approach traffic, I had no safe place to pull over for a few minutes and it caused coolant to spew out of the overflow and triggered the check engine light. My safe place to pull over was about 50 feet from the tunnel entrance next to a solid line of cars and trucks 8 lanes deep and merging into 3 tunnel lanes. Ford roadside wouldn't come to the location so unless I wanted to abandon the car and my girlfriend and I hitchhike home, I had to let the car cool down and top it off with water to limp it through the tunnel to a safe place for roadside to come get it. The port authority guys wished me luck and gave me a number to call if I broke down inside the tunnel and they would push me out. Thankfully I was able to make it through and park it on the NYC side. This started a whole new adventure in towing when, in an attempt to avoid a 2hr wait for a tow truck, I scheduled a pickup for Monday morning at 7:30-8am before I went to work. Well, that didn't work. Tow truck guy was 2.5hrs late and then proceeded to roast my clutch getting it on the flatbed. I had walked back to my apt about 50 ft away to give my girlfriend the paperwork and could only watch in horror as my car was enveloped in a cloud of burning clutch which drifted down an entire city block. I ran over just to have the idiot tow truck driver say "all loaded" and hit me up for a tip.

Had it towed to All American Ford in Hackensack, NJ and since it was going in anyway, I figured it was a good time to utilize my tire and rim warranty and get my pothole damaged front wheel replaced. I was wrong, according to the service manager, a huge protruding dent on the outer lip is not covered by the tire and rim warranty unless the tire is losing air.

Anyhow, I digress. Point of this response was to commiserate and shed some light on the fan clutch recall.




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[Toast]

Sorry to hear you're having problems too, Simplyj. I'll ask them if they've looked into the fan clutch. They called me today, they've had the car since Tuesday and only started looking at it today and all they told me is that they "can't replicate the problem". Which is really obnoxious, because it happens to me literally every day that I drive it.

 

[Toast]

Called them again today, they said they still can't replicate the problem but haven't tried to actually inspect the coolant system. I'm losing my patience with them. I asked about the fan clutch, and also the problems some have reported with partially obstructed radiators (which happened in cars with similar build dates to mine) and they said they hadn't checked for either of those but agreed to check into it. If they don't find it this time I think I'm just going to take it home and try troubleshooting it myself, I've been out of a car for a week and it seems like all they're doing is joyriding around in it.

 

[Toast]

Finally found the problem. A valve in the cooling loop was stuck closed, they're replacing it.

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[cplensdorf]

Sent you a PM requesting more info. I am experiencing the exact same issue with my 2014 with 60400 miles. Thx for any help you can provide. Dealer and Ford engineer digging into it now.

 

[cplensdorf]

QUICK UPDATE...my car is still overheating too! . . It's now been in the shop for three weeks. I've picked it up already and returned it within hours because it overheated again. They can replicate the issue now at will. They have replaced the thermostat, coolant, water pump and have manually tried to replicate it through the computer but can't. They have tested the radiator, the oil for coolant, the coolant for oil and compression to make sure that the head and gasket are intact. All tests good. I got a call from them today asking for more "information" about the car. I owe them a call back tomorrow but I have nothing to add except it is bone stock. They have covered the work to this point under warranty even though it's got 64000 miles. The issue was first reported with 40K. If anyone with this issue would be willing to provide the dealer contact info, I'd love to get them in touch with each other and Ford directly. Thx .

 

[cplensdorf]

NEW UPDATE....I am now told that my FiST has a coolant issue in cylinder #4 and that I need a new engine. Ford Tech is stating that repair is not possible that long block is required. I am now haggling with the Ford Customer Service about oil receipts and maintenance logs as if this has anything to do with an failed head gasket or warped block/head due to overheating....the symptoms began at 40K and now I've only got 64K. Not happy right now...

IF ANYONE CAN ASSIST WITH THIS, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

 

[cplensdorf]

So.....NEW UPDATE!...long block installed...all went well, but was out of car for 6 weeks in diagnosis and engine install. I've got about 1000 miles on the new engine and it now is OVERHEATING AGAIN. Now there is coolant consumption and coolant smell. This is getting rediculous now! Back at dealer again today.

 

[Bavarian]

So.....NEW UPDATE!...long block installed...all went well, but was out of car for 6 weeks in diagnosis and engine install. I've got about 1000 miles on the new engine and it now is OVERHEATING AGAIN. Now there is coolant consumption and coolant smell. This is getting rediculous now! Back at dealer again today.

New car?