GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hello, Having trouble with my 2005 Vibe. I've listed the problems below and I'm not sure if they are related or not. 1. No heat - I've replaced the: water pump, thermostat and flushed the rad2. Water Temp Gage - get's to 120 really quickly and stays there unless the car is turned off. I realize that issue number 2 is a major concern so I am not driving the car right now. Does anyone know what the issue could be with these problems? Can't help but think they are related. I've attached a picture of the water temp at 120 - at the time this was taken I had been in the car for about 10-15 min and was going no faster than 60 km an hour. ThanksR

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Is the thermostat installed backwards? Is the heater core plugged? Is the gauge reading incorrectly? 3 WAG's is all that I can come up with for now.

Thanks for your response. The thermostat is for sure installed correctly - as for the heater core being plugged or gauge reading, i can't say for sure. The problem with the Vibe is that to get at the heater core you have to take apart the dashboard and that means time and money! Ah well, what can ya do? Thanks for replying. R

It could also be an air bubble in the system. I have had this problem too. you have to cycle the cooling system topping it off each time it cools down. You can squeeze the upper rad hose to push the fluid around to help get the air bubbles out.

What was the the series of events?No heat? You change the pump and etc? The Temp gauge maxed out?

Based on your description, since according to your gauge it is almost max temperature that might passed the boiling point of the coolant, there is no smoke came from your radiator either.So either the temperature gauge/ sensor at fault or the car is really over heat.why don't you plug in the OBD II scan tool and read the coolent temperature from there? Buy one now and return it tomorrow incase you are stingy.What trigger you replacing thermostats and water pump? is it because the dash gauge showing you over heating? we need more info before waking up our Genvibe Heat Transfer Specialist.. djkeev

Quote, originally posted by mac99d »It could also be an air bubble in the system. I have had this problem too. you have to cycle the cooling system topping it off each time it cools down. You can squeeze the upper rad hose to push the fluid around to help get the air bubbles out.Richard, I agree that we need more info and a series of events to be more specific, but I also agree and have had the same problem as Mac describes after a thermostat/coolant change.I might start there. It can't hurt, doesn't cost anything except a little time and will probably solve your problem.An air bubble will act as a dam in the system... not allow coolant to properly pass. And if the bubble is around/in the thermostat housing itself, the thermostat would never get hot enough to open and you would have the same problem.

Are there any bleed valves to open on those engines? I only have the manual for 2009, so I can't look it up. Most definitely sounds like air trapped in the system. Maybe loosening a heater hose would let some out? Usually need to bleed at highest point on the block "behind" the thermostat.I'm sure somebody on here knows if there's a procedure for bleeding this system. Anybody...John

Based on my experience working with toyota. even drain and refill coolant, ie not even vacuum the system, i never seen the temperature gauge go to extreme temperature. I only seen one like this 8 years ago on a camry , the gauge go to the max temperature, the car run fine, no steam no smoke, and it found out the coolent temperature sensor is at fault.

Have you burped the system? Sounds like you have a lot of air in there.Also check to see if you have a short in or defective temp gauge/sensor.

The giveaway is the lack of heat that something's wrong in the system. The gauge would show hot right away I suspect if it was defective - so it's probably accurate. No coolant flow in an aluminum engine will allow it to heat up pretty quickly!A few years ago I changed the rad in a friend's older Paseo. He knew it was bad, but it had been running at the proper temp and still had plenty of heat.He drove to my place (about an hour's drive), and shut the car off. It was this time of year (cold) - but I only let it sit about 10 minutes before feeling the top rad hose to see if it was still under pressure. The hose was COLD, as was the top of the rad and cap! I opened the rad and couldn't see anything in there. When I opened the drain, only about a liter came out! Apparently this design would circulate whatever was in there through the heater core even when it was almost empty! How it didn't cook itself to death I'll never know. After we replaced the rad, his wife complained that the heater output was too cold now. I guess we can't win them all...Not directly related, but this is what happens when I stay up too late sifting through the forum...John

if the rad is empty empty, it should start sucking cooling from the overflow tank. Unless the dude forgot topping up the over flow tank which is in a more hidden location based on the vintage of his vibe.

Check the rad fluid and change the thermastat. at work ive had to do 5 this week. people saying i have no heat in my car. all have been like 2-3 leters low on fluid