Hi , So as of the past couple months my car (2005 Acura TL) has been overheating. Initially, I suspected that the issue might stem from a malfunctioning thermostat. Consequently, I replaced the thermostat and coolant and refilled the radiator to its maximum capacity. Initially, the car operated noticeably better for about a day. However, it gradually reverted to overheating, particularly when accelerating. Notably, the temperature would only marginally decrease during coasting or when the vehicle was stationary. After shutting off the engine, the radiator fans continued to run for approximately 3-5 minutes before shutting down. No visible leaks were detected, and the coolant reservoir was consistently filled to the maximum level. The heater produced minimal airflow when on full blast. After turning the car on and letting it idle for about 10 to 15 minutes , no heat was emitted, but once i got the car moving and it started to overheat, heat would eventually come out from the vents, with very little airflow. My theory is that it could be due to a clogged heater core, though I could be wrong. Any insight or knowledge would be very much appreciated. If you have any questions please let me know. Thanks in advance!
Did you burp the coolant? Not sure of the original cause of overheating. But not properly burping it will definitely make your problem worse.
That car has an overflow tank design which isn’t really great at self burping. In fact the heater core is often the hardest thing to get the air out of. A giant air bubble in the heater core would explain overheating and why you dont get any heat from it.
you should be filling the radiator, not the overflow bottle, and run one of these with the car idling and heater on full blast until you dont see any more bubbles “EPAuto Spill Proof Radiator Coolant Filling Funnel Kit” (or similar)
Thanks for the advise! when I initially changed the thermostat I did burp it by doing what you said and also squeezing the radiator hoses but maybe I didnt do it correctly . Also I just went to check under the hood and noticed that my reservoir is full but when i checked the radiator it seemed to be low/ empty. Last time when i worked on my car I filled the radiator all the way to the top but now is no longer filled to the top. is this normal ?