Temp gauge went to H and the water temp light came on today

[user 64972]

2007 Sport Trac w/ V-8 and approx 55,000 miles:



On the way back from Disney World this morning and on the road with the air on and I kicked it down into passing gear to pass another vehicle and the air conditioning immediately went warm. I turned it all the way cool and no change and then I switched it to the Max Cool setting and still warm. Then the temp gauge went to "H" and the water temp light came on so I immediately did an evasive move and stopped on the side of the road and turned the engine off. Sat there for a minute and decided I was too close to I-75 so I started it up to move it out to the grass for safety. The idiot light never came on and the temp gauge read normal (center of the gauge). I then checked and the serpentine belt had not broken, the over flow tank had the same level as when i checked it before the trip. The oil was full since I just changed it before the trip and everything else looked OK. Also, the fan did work. I started it up and cautiously went on my merry way on the way to Ohio. The air conditioning worked well all the way and the temp stayed in the middle of the gauge (slightly below the halfway mark to the cool side). Anyone ever hear of a weird cooling/air conditioning issue like this. If so, a cure/repair?

 

[Jim Mills]

Wish I knew what the hoses felt like. I wonder if the thermostat momentarily stuck in the closed position. I would replace it with it a failsafe. Maybe someone else has had this specific problem, as I havent.

 

[EddieS'04]

The AC will drop out in passing gear, for more power. The other, Check your rad tank when cold for full, and have the electric fan clutch checked.

 

[Todd Z]

Radiator leak???.... LET it cool and check the coolant in the RADIATOR, not the stupid bottle.....



Start the truck and add coolant as needed......



Gen2 seems to have radiator issues now.......



Todd Z

 

[user 64972]

From Atlanta to Dayton today the air conditioning worked well all the way and the temp stayed in the middle of the gauge (slightly below the halfway mark to the cool side)...even when in trafic jams. I think it was an electrical glitch with the air cutting out when going hard into passing gear and the temp spike happening almost instantly and the being back to normal after I re-started the ST.

 

[EddieS'04]

If your rad is holding full when cold. The computer design takes out the ac at full throttle.

That leaves the electric fan clutch problem or a partialy open T-stat. This should be checked.