Vauxhall Meriva heating

In2deep

Hello, i seem be having some issues with the heating and car reaching temperature of 90 degrees on my Meriva.

I have noticed recently that the engine temperature wont reach 90 degrees. It will go to about 70 and no higher.

The other day I got a code 4 error and the temperature wouldn't move off 0, but the message has disappeared but car still wont go past 70 (according to the instruments anyway).

I checked the coolant level and it looks very low. The pipe that attaches to the reservoir has some coolant going through it, but next to nothing at the other side of the tank.

I thought that a low coolant level meant that the car overheats, not the other way?

I have also noticed that the temperature gets higher when the car is stationary but starts to cool down when driving.

Can this all be caused by a low coolant level, or does it sound like there might be other issues?

TadleyBaggie

If the coolant is low, have you tried the obvious remedy and topped it up?

In2deep

Not yet. I will do that today, but was just wondering from anyone experience if a low coolant level alone can cause the car not to reach its temperature, as I always thought a low coolant level would cause the car to overheat.

AdrianC

In2deep wrote: »

I checked the coolant level and it looks very low. The pipe that attaches to the reservoir has some coolant going through it, but next to nothing at the other side of the tank.

Fill it up, then!

Then find out where it's going.

I thought that a low coolant level meant that the car overheats, not the other way?

If there's very, very low coolant, the gauge may simply not read correctly - the sensor needs to be in contact with coolant. If it's in contact with air, you won't get a sensible reading. Also, you'll get hot spots where there's no water circulating, and you'll get cavitation and bubbles around the water pump.

Basically, if it gets low enough to be trying to push air around, you are going to have issues...

I have also noticed that the temperature gets higher when the car is stationary but starts to cool down when driving.

But that, combined with generally low reading, all spells thermostat not closing.

In2deep

Thanks Adrian.

mluton

Sounds like the thermostat has stuck open.

TadleyBaggie

My daughter's Fiesta had the same symptom and also intermittent heating. Coolant level was low, topping up resolved the issues. Low coolant was traced to a leak around thermostat housing.