Oh dear! The green meanie is poorly!

[lisa110rry]

I was driving home through Preston and the water reservoir light came on and the temp was visibly rising! Currently on pavement, hazards on, rescue called! Care to venture a guess what has caused this calamity? No prize to the winner!

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Burst rubber hose would be the cheapest to fix I guess.

 

[trapperjohn]

Hope you are sorted soon.

Hoping its a hose too.

 

[Meldrew2]

The sun came out - and the car was so surprised it wet itself?

 

[Trickythemerc]

Hose, leaky water pump, dicky rad.... Just hope it ain't gone and thrown a head gasket.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

Hope it has been sorted without too much fuss or expense.

 

[lisa110rry]

The sun came out - and the car was so surprised it wet itself?

Lol!!! I am so pleased to report that it seems it was just a one-off! The lovely chap from McAdam came very quickly and checked out everything, hoses, fan, water level. We couldn't replicate the problem although we tried for over 30 minutes. The rescue chap suggested I had perhaps got too close to the vehicle in front in the nose-to-tail traffic and that had triggered the warning light. I now understand, thanks to the rescue operative, that the temp gauge hadn't actually got to the level that would trigger the fan. As a lady, I just couldn't imagine that the temp would get to almost 100 degrees and still be safe, but the chap said just under 100 degrees was okay. Thank you Steve from McAdam, sent to me by Britannia Rescue!

 

[clk320x]

Lol!!! I am so pleased to report that it seems it was just a one-off! The lovely chap from McAdam came very quickly and checked out everything, hoses, fan, water level. We couldn't replicate the problem although we tried for over 30 minutes. The rescue chap suggested I had perhaps got too close to the vehicle in front in the nose-to-tail traffic and that had triggered the warning light. I now understand, thanks to the rescue operative, that the temp gauge hadn't actually got to the level that would trigger the fan. As a lady, I just couldn't imagine that the temp would get to almost 100 degrees and still be safe, but the chap said just under 100 degrees was okay. Thank you Steve from McAdam, sent to me by Britannia Rescue!

Great news! Good that you pulled over anyway you can never be too sure, and it could have saved your car from overheating

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Burst rubber hose would be the cheapest to fix I guess.

Lol!!! I am so pleased to report that it seems it was just a one-off! The lovely chap from McAdam came very quickly and checked out everything, hoses, fan, water level. We couldn't replicate the problem although we tried for over 30 minutes. The rescue chap suggested I had perhaps got too close to the vehicle in front in the nose-to-tail traffic and that had triggered the warning light. I now understand, thanks to the rescue operative, that the temp gauge hadn't actually got to the level that would trigger the fan. As a lady, I just couldn't imagine that the temp would get to almost 100 degrees and still be safe, but the chap said just under 100 degrees was okay. Thank you Steve from McAdam, sent to me by Britannia Rescue!

So, I was wrong again!

 

[PobodY]

I would have guesses a leaking hose too. - Particularly knowing that the car spends a couple of months tucked-up each year.

I once had a little pinhole leak on the back of the engine. It didn't let much coolant out, but enough that I'd slowly lose it and it could overheat in traffic. - It took ages to find because it was spraying on to the exhaust, so there were do drips on wet patches under the car.

I'd keep an eye on it just in case it's something similar.

 

[lisa110rry]

Yes, I'm so glad that she's okay. I really must give her a real clean and polish tomorrow if wx permits. She deserves it. But I've been so busy with properly painting both sides of the 1950s garage doors, very, very carefully, that I haven't had time to give her proper care. However, now that I've lost my job due to relocation of the office to Kirkby Lonsdale, I should have her looking beautiful in no time. Gizz a job?

 

[grober]

Lol!!! I am so pleased to report that it seems it was just a one-off! The lovely chap from McAdam came very quickly and checked out everything, hoses, fan, water level. We couldn't replicate the problem although we tried for over 30 minutes. The rescue chap suggested I had perhaps got too close to the vehicle in front in the nose-to-tail traffic and that had triggered the warning light. I now understand, thanks to the rescue operative, that the temp gauge hadn't actually got to the level that would trigger the fan. As a lady, I just couldn't imagine that the temp would get to almost 100 degrees and still be safe, but the chap said just under 100 degrees was okay. Thank you Steve from McAdam, sent to me by Britannia Rescue!

Water boils at 100 degrees C at atmospheric pressure. However your cooling system is under pressure. hence :-

With proper antifreeze, a wide temperature range can be tolerated by the engine coolant, such −37 °C to 129 °C for 50% (by volume) propylene glycol diluted with water and a 15 psi pressurized coolant system.

That's often why coolant systems with small leaks can boil -not so much from coolant loss but loss of pressure . Worth checking your pressure cap is in good nick.

 

[markjay]

I don't suppose someone checked the coolant recently? The cap might not have been tightened properly etc?

 

[lisa110rry]

My dear MJ, I never open the bonnet except to fill the windscreen reservoir! famously, when I was working in Sheffield back in 2003, a young colleague said to me on a winter's day before I travelled home on Snake Pass: 'we should check your windscreen washer reservoir, Lisa'. This was found to be nicely fullish. When I arrived home, I mentioned to my husband that the reservoir on my RAV4 must be enormous because I hadn't filled it since the last service yet it was fullish. He dryly said: 'that's because I check it and fill it each weekend'. Seriously though, it's not happened since, thankfully.

 

[lisa110rry]

UPDATE: It happened again.

Last evening coming home through Preston in rush hour, the coolant level light came on (and went off) three times while stationary in traffic! The light came on just before the temperature where the fan would come on and went off as the fan cooled the engine down a bit. I'm completely perplexed, particularly by the on/off nature of the problem. At first I thought perhaps the light was just telling me the fan was going to start, but the handbook doesn't say anything like that. The first time it happened, he rescue driver checked everything thoroughly and we couldn't make it happen. He checked coolant level and fan operation. Please, chaps, any ideas? I normally don't drive in stop/start traffics, but I need to do this journey three more times.

 

[grober]

Try this if the wiring is the same?
[SOLVED] W202 Coolant Warning Light - MBClub UK - Bringing together Mercedes Enthusiasts
Due to the way the radiator coolant and screen washer reservoir level sensors are wired if either are faulty the light may come on. Fix is to replace the offending sensor. This applies to the W 202 saloon/estate model but since your car is based on that model's running gear/electrics, it may also be your problem?
Failing that I would change the coolant reservoir pressure cap as a potential source of a problem for the little they cost- the coolant reservoirs are known to crack also causing pressure loss but lets not go there just yet!

 

[lisa110rry]

Thanks Grober, I read that thread, but much of it was a bit beyond me. As I need an MOT before 14/05, I'm off to my regular mechanic to book her in for a service and I might ask him to have a look if he has time (he'll just add a few squid to the service bill).

 

[tanuie]

Hope it all works out for you, and the job.

 

[grober]

The windscreen washer level sensor is PART NO-- A2205400045 @ £14 its fitting grommet is A2209971981@ £2-38 to give you an idea of replacement cost should you need it--- but check against your chassis no.

 

[PobodY]

Even a new radiator cap isn't very expensive. - The springs in them don't last forever.