Car over heating!! Anyone can tell me what cld be wrong

Asked by GuruMRG2F May 27, 2020 at 09:06 AM about the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser Wagon FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Hi my car is a 08 pt cruiser and it was
running fine then all of a sudden yesterday I
drove the car to Walmart with my 1 yr old
baby w me and I heard a sweating noise like
a belt was squeaking and then I looked at
my gadges and the hot/cold and the thing
was all the way on the H and when I stopped
at a red light my car was smoking like crazy
n then when the light turned green and I
drove off the belt squeaking was loud good
thing I was only a mile away from my house
so I made it home ok cause it was like 9 at
night and my dad asked me if when the car
started to over heat did the fan kick on
cause if not it CLD be a fuse that's blown out
and now that I think about it don't think it did
but I'm not 100% either... Cld it just b a fuse?
But y wld the belt start making that awful
squeaking noise? Can anyone tell me what it
sounds like to them?? Like I said it's n 08 pt
cruiser just a reg cruiser not convertible or
limited edition nothing like that just a reg
cruiser and it has 113,000 miles on it it's
never been in any accidents it's only had one
owner which they kept it really really clean
the inside looks brand new and it was
driving perfect til this happened I just got n
oil change and tune-up done too???? So if
anyone can tell me what they think might be
wrong I'd so appreciate your opinions thanks
in advance!!!!

3 Answers

9,505

The smoke is steam evaporating from the cooling system. The squealing comes from the belts getting wet from the steam. You can check and see if there's a fuse that's blown, but I'd run the engine and wait until it reaches operating temperature and see if the fan comes on. If it does come on, your problem could be your thermostat, water pump, low coolant level, or cooling system needs to be flushed.

155,245

Sounds like a seized water pump. Have it towed to your local auto repair shop. Don't drive it that way!! Hope that helps! Jim

1 people found this helpful.

What sort of smoke? If it was blue smoke out the exhaust the engine is probably toast.

1 people found this helpful.

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