Car overheating in freezing weather

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As above, this happened to me today. I noticed the temperature gauge was off the top, and the heaters were just giving me cold air. There's a lot of snow and ice here in Aberdeen and at about 6:30 this morning it was extremely cold. The windows were frozen shut, doors wouldn't open, that kind of thing. Frozen windows and no heater = not fun.

I was only making a short journey thankfully, but I noticed steam coming from the coolant filler cap thingy when I got there. The fans were spinning up fine. As it's just a throwaway car I didn't pull over right away, maybe drove for a mile or so, which might have been stupid but it only has to last until February when it fails its MOT anyway and I have another car so meh. The washer jets were frozen up too and I just put a load of new fluid in there last week for the winter temperatures.

Would the symptoms suggest something wrong with the thermostat or was the coolant just frozen up? If so can I just dump a load of new coolant in with the existing mix or do I have to drain the coolant first?
 
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Water in radiator has frozen not allowing flow of water. This happened to me today whilst working overnight in lowesoft, my journey back to Brighton at 0430 this mnorning was not fun, eventulayy got home at 1430. Be paitent it will thaw at idle, squeeze the bottom rad hose and see if it has any effect on the expansion tank or water level in rad.

Driving does not help as the rad gets colder and start to freeze again.

I just thawed ours out, (works tipper transit) brought a bottle of ready moxed screenwash and problem went away.
 
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That's what I thought when the heaters weren't warming up. I had it idling before I drove to work because I thought I'd prevent this very problem.

Can I just as a quick fix top up the coolant with more antifreeze/coolant? Or do I need to drain it all out and start from scratch?
 
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I don't think any permanent damage was done as it stopped overheating later on in the day. Not sure if the heaters were back to giving hot air though.
 

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I know it's sorted now but once the motor is warm check underneath for leaks whilst it's running & just after you switch it off. If your water was frozen somewhere in the pipes it may have expanded & split one. Well worth checking I'd say.
 
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As it's just a throwaway car I didn't pull over right away, maybe drove for a mile or so, which might have been stupid but it only has to last until February when it fails its MOT anyway and I have another car so meh.

What a very odd attitude. How will driving it whilst badly overheating help it last until February?
 
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It won't. I don't see how you got that impression from my post either.

It wasn't badly overheating. There wasn't steam shooting out from under the bonnet. There was a whisp of steam coming from the coolant cap after I stopped.

I don't really care if it breaks.

Why does someone always have to come into threads here and start acting all belligerent? Do you think I have nothing better to do than sit here with you and go through every sentence of my original post until it meets your satisfaction? Do you like BMWs?
 
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Soldato
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It won't. I don't see how you got that impression from my post either.

It wasn't badly overheating. There wasn't steam shooting out from under the bonnet. There was a whisp of steam coming from the coolant cap after I stopped.

I don't really care if it breaks.

Why does someone always have to come into threads here and start acting all belligerent? Do you think I have nothing better to do than sit here with you and go through every sentence of my original post until it meets your satisfaction? Do you like BMWs?

Some people just like to twist words beyond all recognition to make them seem cool and clever.

Anyway, I'm going with not enough antifreeze. How is the car now?
 
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The last I checked was yesterday afternoon, when the overheating had stopped, but afaik still no warm air from the heater. I have to drive it to Halfords to get some antifreeze today. I've been waiting for the afternoon so the same thing doesn't happen to me again :)
 
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It won't. I don't see how you got that impression from my post either.

I got the impression from the bit in your post where you say the temperature gauge is off the top of the scale but you carried on driving because you don't care about the car. Then you say it has to last you until January.

I'm not twisting any words, but I just think that kind of behaviour is stupid (which you alluded to in your own post). Why should anyone else be bothered to help if you care that little?
 
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It won't. I don't see how you got that impression from my post either.

It wasn't badly overheating. There wasn't steam shooting out from under the bonnet. There was a whisp of steam coming from the coolant cap after I stopped.

I don't really care if it breaks.

Why does someone always have to come into threads here and start acting all belligerent? Do you think I have nothing better to do than sit here with you and go through every sentence of my original post until it meets your satisfaction? Do you like BMWs?

:rolleyes:

"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"

Why bother posting?
 
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Two can play the eyeroll game.

:rolleyes:

My mouth was actually closed when I typed that first post. -100 OCUK antagonistic pedant points for you....so I suppose you'll just have to keep thinking of me as a fool.

Anyway, I put some water and coolant in today as it was very low.

It seems to have fixed the problem.

I should probably check it more often but it's not strictly my car anyway and shouldn't be solely my responsibility but that appears to be how it is.

I just love it how any OP here is basically on trial the moment they hit "submit."
 
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