Technical Engine coolant light keeps coming on?!

[Lella]

Please help, my engine coolant light keeps coming on whilst I'm driving, after about ten to fifteen minutes of the car being run? Revs sound high whilst not moving, and cold air is being kicked out of the heaters instead of hot air

I'm a female student 70+ miles away from home and don't know what to do!!

Please say it won't be too expensive to fix, the car is 2001 model, I don't fancy paying out more than actual car is worth just to fix it!

Thanks!

 

[Brendan W]

Sounds like your coolant level is low.The light coming on means things are getting too hot. If the motor is cold you can open the filler to check the level and top up if required. You will then need to bleed the trapped air out by filling to the top and opening the screws on the heater hose and top of the radiator until the bubbles stop.
How often do you check the coolant. It would be useful to know if this has happened over time or all of a sudden. Do you have any sign of white smoke out the back and is there any pressure escaping when you open the coolant filler cap? I take it you don't have a temperature guage.

 

[colinf1]

Sounds like a air lock in system.

Drain and replace coolant, shouldnt cost more than £5, and is very easy to do.

When your refilling it, park the car so the front is higher than the back, and use the coke bottle method to force any air out (fill coke bottle with coolant, turn it upside down so its in the filler neck, squeeze the bottle while opening/closing both bleed screws to get all air out)

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-guides/43906-how-bleed-punto-cooling-system.html

 

[Lella]

I thought this might be why, so I went out and bought some coolant then checked my coolant level, and it seems full.
It happened for the first time last wednesday, I turned the engine off and back on after a minute or two and it had gone off. I checked the coolant levels and it looks full so I thought nothing of it.
But I came to use it this morning and it came on whilst I was waiting at some traffic lights, I continued to drive on and it went off, then came back on again about two or three minutes later.
I don't ever check the coolant! Bad I know, but I only tend to check things when something goes wrong, I'm a woman, what can I say ha!

There doesn't seem to be any white smoke ? I checked the coolant tank the day after the light came on the first time (Thursday), and there was no pressure escaping so to speak.

Thankyou!

 

[Lella]

Ah thanks!
Will it damage the car if I continue to drive it like this? I need to get back to my student house and this is about ten miles away with heavy traffic!

 

[colinf1]

it should be ok, if you keep it low revs and dont over work the engine.

try and time it to go at the least busy time.

id try topping up the coolant and opening the rear bleed screw, let out any trapped air thats in that.

 

[Brendan W]

I would make some effort to bleed it. The screw on the black rubber hoses going into the heater should be openable by finger pressure and the one on the top of the radiator also. It can only make things better.
You can stop this 'I'm a woman' stuff as well. Most of the fellas never check it either and more to the point never have the sense to ask for help before it's too late.

 

[Lella]

Okay, I'll try these things and see what happens and let you know, if these things don't work Should I just take it to a garage? I've just asked a friend and they said it could be the electrics (punto electrics are renowned for being abysmal, and I've already had a few spark plugs and wires changed because it was misfiring), but Im not sure how the electrics would make the revs go whilst it is still?

I think I just need a new car, I've spent more on actually fixing it than I paid for it in the first place

 

[Brendan W]

Don't give up on it. They're great cars , just prone to sulking if neglected. The revs issue can be dealt with. Just sort the coolant for now, with a nice hot heater and no gurgling in the dash on startup.

 

[Lella]

Thank you for all your help, got it sorted in the end!
There was an airlock in the system and the thermostat wasn't opening, but all is now well and no lights are flashing at me!

 

[s and b]

Thank you for all your help, got it sorted in the end!
There was an airlock in the system and the thermostat wasn't opening, but all is now well and no lights are flashing at me!

you really want to take note of what i posted here in relation to the thermostat

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto/294...r-inlet-temp-sensor-ive-tried-everything.html

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Agree with S and B would have suggested thermostat yesterday had I seen this post and is only about £15 to buy a new one,

Glad you go it sorted though as continuing to drive the car could have done quite a bit of damage,

 

[dvdwrd]

I have a similar problem. Tonight the temp warning light came on at maximum, For a while I have had water in the passenger footwell and that gurgling sound on start up, but is also heard if I accelerate. 1 guy said it might be a head gasket problem, but on further investigation it seems it may be a coolant leak, or some problem with the heater core.

Where can I get more information, and might have anyone an idea on how much to expect to pay for repair?

Thanks..

 

[fingers99]

Water in passenger footwell could well be a heater matrix issue.

See if any of the local garages can do a coolant pressurisation test (or a google will show you how to make up your own test rig).

There a fair bit of labour (but not a great deal of skill) involved in replacing the heater matrix, so you can save a lot of money doing it yourself.

But it does need sorting ASAP.

 

[dvdwrd]

Thanks for the reply. Id happily have a go at it myself. I think I found some good advice on 2carpros dot com

Any further tips greatly appreciated.