95 Saturn - overheating? - Car Troubleshooting


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95 Saturn - overheating?

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car stupid
New User

Jul 16, 2011, 6:22 AM

Post #1 of 3 (3422 views)

95 Saturn - overheating?	Sign In

I have a 95 SL Saturn about 160,000 miles. It's been a good car but about 7 or 8 years ago I noticed that the engine temperature would creep up near the red zone. Specifically, if I came to an extended stop like a light or I was in a traffic backup the temperature would creep up past the half and get close to the red zone. Once I started moving again the temperature would fall. I got into a couple of jams where it was almost on red and I switched on the heat to full (during summer - rolled down the windows) and that was able to lower the temperature until I got moving again.

At the time I took it to two Saturn dealers. The first time it happened I was a on a trip a few hours from home. So I went to a dealer and got shafted with the old "Johnson rod" maneuver. I was out $150 and no improvement. Once I got back home I went to the local dealer who confirmed that I got shafted with the old "Johnson rod" maneuver. They did some testing but oddly couldn't get it to happen again and didn't see anything wrong.

Over the years I just stuck to driving short distances with it and except for a few times, never got into a traffic jam. Those few times, I nervously kept my eye on the gauge and turned on the heat.

My wife claims that this is probably just normal for that make of car and it won't ever get the red zone. My view is that this is definitely not normal.

Who is right????????

Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Jul 16, 2011, 6:35 AM

Post #2 of 3 (3419 views)

Re: 95 Saturn - overheating?	Sign In

Well, obviously no one is right because you still have your issue, but don't tell your wife that I typed that. Women are always right. (That's what we want them to believe)

With the vehicle idling turn on the ac. Open the hood and look to see if the electric cooling fan is running. If it isn't running, smack it with a broom stick handle. If the fan comes on, replace the cooling fan motor.

Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

car stupid
New User

Jul 16, 2011, 12:21 PM

Post #3 of 3 (3398 views)

Re: 95 Saturn - overheating?	Sign In

Thanks - I gave that a try, but the fan was working. I let it run for a while and the temperature didn't creep up. Perhaps I just repeated what the Saturn dealer did years ago and I got the same result. Is there any reason why the temperature would climb after I had been driving for a while but got stuck in a traffic jam and it wouldn't climb if I just turned it on and left it running a while?

For all I know, it got fixed inadvertently sometime over the last few years - I only use it for work adn that's a short commute with no traffic so it's been a while since I got stuck in a traffic jam.

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