QuestionHi, sorry it took so long to reply. Anyways, I can not get my hand behind the engine to reach those hoses to feel them. However, I had the car in the shop for another reason last week and had them check it out. He said he pressure tested the cooling system and found no leaks. Since then, I have been checking the fluid in the reservoir and keeping it full and the heat works fine so far whenever it is full. I fill it to the max line, and after I drove a couple days it was down to the min line. Do you have any more ideas now that the mechanic found no leaks in it? Maybe I will check to see if there is a small leak in between the reservoir and the radiator.
Thanks.
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The temperature gauge is right in the middle where it is supposed to be, it never overheats.
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I have a 2002 Altima that I just bought with 130,000 miles on it. It was overheating and the heat was not working, and I changed both thermostats in it and it no longer overheats, however the heater does not always work. It seems very random as well. Sometimes it will work right away as soon as the car gets up to temperature, and then it might stay hot for awhile, then it will go cold. Sometimes it does not work at all, and then suddenly it will get hot. Also, I fill the reservoir up, and then when I check it in a week or so, its down, but looking in the radiator itself, it is not low. I thought the heater core might be leaking, but I looked under the carpet on the passenger side and there is no sign of it leaking. I had this in the shop a couple months ago for new brakes and I mentioned for them to look at this, and he just said the coolant was real low and added some and it worked when I took it out of there. I see no puddles on the ground or no signs of it leaking around the hoses or anywhere. Any ideas?
Thanks.
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Sound like you may have a blown headgasket. Where is the temp gauge at????
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Look a the firewall of the car for two small hoses that go through it (heater hoses). WHen the engine is hot are they both hot? You should not be able to touch them.
AnswerBingo!!! If keeping the resevoir full makes it work then you already have your answer. The coolant is going somewhere???? It can only go a few places. Either it leaks or it goes out the tailpipe. Blown headgasket or leaking gasket. Problem could be internal. Slight possibility that the intake gasket is leaking but very rare. Make sure the machanic really pressure tested the system.
