Please move/notify if in wrong forum!

Im posting here because Briskoda is a good forum and I always have responses for my Fabia VRS.

 

I have an issue with a Ford Fiesta 1.4 2007.

The header tank is steaming and there is coolant loss around the header tank.

The car is hunting slightly when warm (I would be if I was hot!!!)

 

The radiator is cold to touch and thermostat dial is normal.

 

My first thought is Thermostat..then waterpump or worse..head gasket. However surely radiator cold is thermostat?

 

Anyway hope someone can help or recommend a good Fiesta forum because they dont seem very popular.

 

 

hi sounds like a jammed thermostat (shut) not letting the water flow if you take it out or change it fill the car backwards through the top hose and take the top of the expansion bottle till the water is on the full mark connect the hose run the car up to temp make sure heater is on hot and full on (fan) to expel any air from the system good luck  

Thanks for the help.

I've just tried filling up the coolant and squeezing the rad hoses. Seem to have got heat in the radiator now which is good. Also ran it for about 15 mins with no steam..Fingers crossed it was only a jammed thermostat. What explains the coolant loss? Overflowing expansion bottle?

I own one of these too!! Assuming yours is petrol... Anyway, both mine and my girlfriends old car (same model) had coolant leaks at different points, replacing the header tank fixed my problem completely and made her problem a lot better (her issue was also leaks elsewhere). Both were cracked so I assume when warm, they expanded enough to loose coolant. I replaced them myself, they are dead easy to change and don't cost much at all.

 

Do you have stains near the header tank the same colour as your coolant? That's what made me suspect mine.

 

If you do change the header tank, I would recommend changing the spring clips to Jubilee clips - they are much easily to put on and remove.