Car Problem - Peugeot 206 overheating

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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Ive got a peugeot 206 which is 4 years old. In the past month it has started overheating. The temperature will stay around 90 most of the time but sometimes when Im in traffic this will shoot up into the red and then when I start moving again it will come back down.

I have had the thermostat changed, replaced all the water/coolant and had the fans and temperature sensors checked and I still have the same problem.

I do have steam coming from the bonnet when it gets hot which I dont think is entirely unusual and Im not losing any more water than normal.

Im due to get the radiator checked and if needed get a new one. The thing which worries me is that if this isnt the problem, Im spending all this money on replacing things and still have no idea what is causing the problem. All this has been done through a garage so its not just me replacing odd parts and guessing at whats wrong.

Ive looked online and seen others with the same problem but there doesnt seem to be any clear solutions. Has anyone had this problem or know anyone who has and can suggest something? I dont have an endless pocket with money to keep replacing everything!
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  • CruachanCruachan Posts: 7,211
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    Given what you have said, this is asking the obvious, but is the fan actually cutting in when the temperature increases above the norm when you are siting in traffic?

    I presume that the garage has performed a pressure test to rule out a blown head gasket - but you say you are not losing water.

    Is the radiator blocked (externally I mean) - leaves, dirt, gunge between the fins?

    Perplexing.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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    Cruachan wrote: »
    Given what you have said, this is asking the obvious, but is the fan actually cutting in when the temperature increases ubov ethe norm when you are siting in traffic?

    I presume that the garage has performed a pressure test to rule out a blown head gasket - but you say you are not losing water.

    Is the radiator blocked (externally I mean) - leaves, dirt, gunge between the fins?

    Perplexing.

    I thought it might be the fans at first as I had only heard them cut in when the temperature reaches red but even with the air con on full which keeps the lower speed fan on constantly this happens so this cant be the problem. It does take longer for the car to heat up if I have the air con on full but I guess this is just because the lower speed fan is on constantly. The garage has checked the fans for me too and said they are working fine.

    They havent performed a pressure test that I know of as Im not losing any water at all, I filled it up at the beginning of the week and it hasnt moved hardly.

    The radiator isnt blocked externally either that I can see.

    I am seriously running out of ideas. The car has only done 12,000 miles.
  • CruachanCruachan Posts: 7,211
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    I wonder of there is a problem with the water pump - if it is not pushing water through the system as effeciently as it should then the system could well overheat.

    I have heard of cases where, externally, all is well with the pump and its drive mechanism but internally, the vanes have become corroded to the extent that they no longer push enough water through the system. But on a car only 4 years and 12000 miles old? Have you had the car from new - or know its history? Has it ever had only water in it?

    Sorry, not being much help.
  • belombbelomb Posts: 3,280
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    So, you haven't actually checked the radiator yet?

    It'll be that.

    Exactly the same problem with my Saxo. Had a new radiator last week. Cost £130, parts and labour.
  • CruachanCruachan Posts: 7,211
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    belomb wrote: »
    So, you haven't actually checked the radiator yet?

    It'll be that.

    Exactly the same problem with my Saxo. Had a new radiator last week. Cost £130, parts and labour.

    Same argument as for the water pump - why should the radiator (presumably) become blocked on a 4 year, 12000 mile, old car. Only reason I can think of is insufficient antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor in the system. Or incorrect antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 184
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    In the mean time while your getting it fixed, turn the heater and fan up to full blast inside the car as that will cool the engine ... if it gets to hot open the windows but dont turn the heater off.

    Hope you get it fixed soon. :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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    Cruachan wrote: »
    I wonder of there is a problem with the water pump - if it is not pushing water through the system as effeciently as it should then the system could well overheat.

    I have heard of cases where, externally, all is well with the pump and its drive mechanism but internally, the vanes have become corroded to the extent that they no longer push enough water through the system. But on a car only 4 years and 12000 miles old? Have you had the car from new - or know its history? Has it ever had only water in it?

    Sorry, not being much help.

    I havent had it from new, but when I did get it, it had 6,000 miles on the clock - was about a year ago and all seemed well. It had been serviced 3 times, twice when it was supposed to and then once just before I bought it.

    I dont know if it has had only water in it before I have had it but since I have had it, its had enough antifreeze in it.
    lewi123 wrote: »
    In the mean time while your getting it fixed, turn the heater and fan up to full blast inside the car as that will cool the engine ... if it gets to hot open the windows but dont turn the heater off.

    Hope you get it fixed soon. :)

    Thats what I have been doing, blasting the heaters up to max and having the window open. Ive been told not to drive it too much in the mean time too.
    belomb wrote: »
    So, you haven't actually checked the radiator yet?

    It'll be that.

    Exactly the same problem with my Saxo. Had a new radiator last week. Cost £130, parts and labour.

    Thats around what I was quoted, think it was £120 ish. Thats if it needs a new one though, it may just need unblocking which Im hoping.

    Thanks for all your replies guys, I hope I can get to the bottom of it soon.
  • CruachanCruachan Posts: 7,211
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    Good luck with it raptorz - nothing worse than being unable to get to the bottom of a problem.
  • callunaxcallunax Posts: 6,187
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    If you're not losing water, I would say you've got a blockage in your cooling system. Most probably at your radiator - either blocked, or broken.

    If you don't want to spend your money on a new radiator, you could always try reverse flushing your old one, first.

    How technical are you? Just disconnect the hoses, (at an accessible point, either end) stick a garden hose on the exit end, switch on, and watch the gunge pour out. If you don't know which is the exit end, just do it both ways. You'll soon see which way is getting all the crap out.

    May be worth a try?

    The new thermostat is definitely not faulty?

    Failing that, the water pump. But I wouldn't expect that @ 12,000 miles.

    Good luck! :)
  • howardlhowardl Posts: 5,120
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    It could be air .
    With the 206 and others the header tank is below the top of the engine, so to fill the system without getting air trapped a plastic bottle or alike needs to be secured in the mouth of the header tank to get an extra inches of head above the top of the engine.
  • NoDiceNoDice Posts: 2,228
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    I would have said it was the automatic fan not cutting in but I think thats been mentioned and it isnt that.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,855
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    howardl wrote: »
    It could be air .
    With the 206 and others the header tank is below the top of the engine, so to fill the system without getting air trapped a plastic bottle or alike needs to be secured in the mouth of the header tank to get an extra inches of head above the top of the engine.

    I have had a couple of Peugeots/Citroens that have had air locks in the cooling system. When the air lock hits the pump the water stops flowing..

    Has the cooling system been refilled recently and the air not bled properly..? There's usually a bleed valve or two on the cooling system..
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,855
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    NoDice wrote: »
    I would have said it was the automatic fan not cutting in but I think thats been mentioned and it isnt that.

    Remove the lead from the temp sensor on the radiator and short the two terminals out. The fans should spin. If not, the fans are faulty.

    Next, reconnect the sensor and leave the engine running for 10-20 minutes with the bonnet closed. The fans should eventually cut in. If not, the sensor is faulty.

    Careful if changing the sensor as the thread on the radiator is easy to damage.
  • coopermanyorkscoopermanyorks Posts: 21,215
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    Remove the lead from the temp sensor on the radiator and short the two terminals out. The fans should spin. If not, the fans are faulty.

    Next, reconnect the sensor and leave the engine running for 10-20 minutes with the bonnet closed. The fans should eventually cut in. If not, the sensor is faulty.

    Careful if changing the sensor as the thread on the radiator is easy to damage.


    I had the same problem on my P 406 estate

    I took the wires off the sensor ( on the radiator ) for the electric fan , I shorted it with a paper clip the fan kicked in

    I re connected the wires and watched and waited the fan didn't kick in

    I replaced the sensor and it sorted it
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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    I wanted to update this. I have now had the radiator replaced slight leak which could have been causing the problem but I took it out tonight after it was replaced and its still doing it. (I was told that it may or may not have been the cause of the problem before i opted for a replacement)

    I pulled back into the garage and there was a lot of steam coming out of the bonnet. I have had the water pump checked and it is working fine, and there is definately no air locks in it.

    Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what it could be. My garage has done a diagnostic on the car from the ecu and found nothing to cause it. Im at a complete dead end now.

    The fan definately cuts in and cools it when it reaches the red, the only possible thing I can think of is the 1st stage fan not working properly but even so this weather, I wouldnt have thought that it would cause it.
  • FinglongaFinglonga Posts: 4,898
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    Is it still losing water?

    Has the garage done a sniff test for head gasket?

    Maybe worth buying a new temp sensor, I have had a few that have checked out ok but have still been faulty. They don't cost much and is an easy job to replace.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,864
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    raptorz wrote: »
    I wanted to update this. I have now had the radiator replaced slight leak which could have been causing the problem but I took it out tonight after it was replaced and its still doing it. (I was told that it may or may not have been the cause of the problem before i opted for a replacement)

    I pulled back into the garage and there was a lot of steam coming out of the bonnet. I have had the water pump checked and it is working fine, and there is definately no air locks in it.

    Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what it could be. My garage has done a diagnostic on the car from the ecu and found nothing to cause it. Im at a complete dead end now.

    The fan definately cuts in and cools it when it reaches the red, the only possible thing I can think of is the 1st stage fan not working properly but even so this weather, I wouldnt have thought that it would cause it.

    It sounds rather obvious, but if you've got steam coming from under the bonnet, it's coming from somewhere, so the cooling system is leaking.

    Start the thing up, then get under there with your torch and find the leak, it's probably a pinhole in a hose that only manifests itself when the system has got up to full temperature/pressure.

    Could be a failing headgasket though, it's fairly common on 206s, I did half a dozen of them last year.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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    Rebel MC wrote: »
    It sounds rather obvious, but if you've got steam coming from under the bonnet, it's coming from somewhere, so the cooling system is leaking.

    Start the thing up, then get under there with your torch and find the leak, it's probably a pinhole in a hose that only manifests itself when the system has got up to full temperature/pressure.

    Could be a failing headgasket though, it's fairly common on 206s, I did half a dozen of them last year.

    The steam to me looked like it was coming from the radiator but this has been replaced?

    My car isnt using any more water than normal and there isnt any leaking of oil into the water, and its not smoking from the exhaust any more than normal. I cant believe it could be the head gasket on a car thats only done 12,000 miles surely?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,864
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    raptorz wrote: »
    The steam to me looked like it was coming from the radiator but this has been replaced?

    My car isnt using any more water than normal and there isnt any leaking of oil into the water, and its not smoking from the exhaust any more than normal. I cant believe it could be the head gasket on a car thats only done 12,000 miles surely?

    Could be, have you owned it from new?

    If you haven't, you don't really know how it's been treated in the past.

    It might've been run for extended periods on a weak anti-freeze mix (the anti-freeze also acts as a corrosion inhibitor, if you didn't know) it may have been seriously overheated at some point in it's life, or it could be just good old wear and tear.

    Unfortunately, a lot of people think that ultra low mileage = reliable car, when the opposite can be just as true; underusing a car can be far more damaging than overusing one.

    Edit: if the steam is coming from the new radiator, have the garage failed to replace a hose correctly, or failed to replace a hose that isn't water tight?
  • FinglongaFinglonga Posts: 4,898
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    raptorz wrote: »

    My car isnt using any more water than normal and there isnt any leaking of oil into the water, and its not smoking from the exhaust any more than normal.

    Shouldn't be smoking from exhaust at all (if it is smoke). It could be steam, get a sniff test done as I mentioned before to rule out the head gasket. Makes no difference on how many miles it has done they can go at ant time.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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    It only smokes from the exhaust when starting from cold in the mornings. Once its got to running temperature there isnt any smoke at all.

    Im getting the temp sensor changed again on tuesday (apparently there is 2 and I only had one changed last time). If this doesnt work then Ill have to get them to test out the head gasket.
  • FinglongaFinglonga Posts: 4,898
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    raptorz wrote: »
    It only smokes from the exhaust when starting from cold in the mornings. Once its got to running temperature there isnt any smoke at all.

    Sounds like condensation and is normal then, all cars do it from cold.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,421
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    Had another temp sensor changed today and its STILL doing it.

    Have now been told it could be the fan resistance something something...? All fuses have been checked and so have the relays so they are not the problem.

    Im really starting to lose hope now.

    Does anyone know if the 206 has 2 speeds for the cooling fan? I notice it comes on like crazy when the gauge reaches the red but I never hear it any other time. Surely the fan should come on if its starting to get hot to stop it reaching the red in the first place, and would I be able to notice this if I was stationary?

    I never noticed my gauge going much above 80 before this problem, now it sits at 90 and jumps into the red all the time
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 195
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    go onto the 'car mechanics' forum site and ask them ! ..... you'll have to google it as I've forgotten the exact address .....
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 405
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    Hi, had the same problem once with my 206 - horrid car ;) - after many tests and replacement bits and pieces, a mechanic told me that he too had done everything to stop his over heating, but the problem he found was the air intake for the engine is positioned in exactly the right place to intake the hot exhaust fumes from the car in front..... therefore over heating in traffic, and cooling when driving.....

    not sure how true it is, but i never over heated when i was at the front of the queue! :D
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