2008 Chevy Equinox Overheating When Idle And Heater Doesnt Work? 4 Awesome Reasons!

Are you wondering 2008 Chevy Equinox overheating when idle and heater doesnt work? Stop wondering as you have come to the right place. When the Chevy Equinox is idle, it might overheat for various reasons; a faulty water pump, broken thermostat, electric fans, and an insufficient coolant supply seem to be the most typical causes.

If the Chevy Equinox was operating and running well, but you get stuck somehow, and it starts overheating while idling.

2008 Chevy Equinox overheating when idle and heater doesnt work

Look into the Chevy Equinox thermostat and water pump, which may become the leading cause of your Chevy overheating. This is just an overview, my dear friends. There are many more things that you should know. Keep reading to discover more. 

 

Why 2008 Chevy Equinox Overheating When Idle & Heater Doesn’t Work? 

Some reasons cause 2008 Chevy Equinox overheating, and we are going to discuss all such reasons in detail, so you will quickly learn 2008 Chevy Equinox overheating when idle and heater doesnt work.

 

#1. The electric fan is faulty

The fan will be the next accessible item to inspect if somehow the coolant supply looks to be expected. Whenever the radiator becomes too hot, most automobiles employ electric fans can cool things down. Whenever the car is idle, these fans are beneficial. Such fans are prone to failure. Open the hood and check if the fan is running while the engine is heated and idling (but has not yet been overheating). If it doesn’t turn in any way, you’ve got a faulty fan. Inspect to determine if the fuse and fan switch were receiving electricity. Whether they are, its fan must be replaced.

 

#2. Faulty thermostat

The thermostat is next on the checklist. The thermostat in the Equinox regulates whenever coolant enters and exits the engine. This will be either a water pump or a blockage. It’s challenging to know when a thermostat was broken without changing it. Is it hot in the car after several minutes of traveling?  That might be enough to indicate that now the thermostat is not fully open. Whenever an engine is full of coolant, it takes a very long time to overheat. You’ll have to repair it, which would be a 4/10 technical challenge. You’ll probably only need a wrench, an adapter, and a 12mm socket. It may also be a good idea to read about symptoms of bad thermostat.

 

#3. The water pump works improperly 

The Equinox’s engine auxiliary drive system turns the water pump in the automobile. The water pump’s speed increases as the engine’s rpm rise. The water pump turns slowly whenever the car is idling. A faulty water pump is ineffective. A water pump cannot transfer coolant via the radiator and return to the engine while the automobile is overheating and idling. Park your car in neutral and crank the engine to approximately 1000 RPM below the redline for several seconds to verify it. As even the water pump spins up, the temperature will drop.

 

#4. The coolant supply is low

Although it may seem counterintuitive, when Equinox’s coolant is low, it may run well with the wind beating the radiator. There’s simply not enough coolant to effectively cool the engine whenever it’s idle. Refill the radiator as well as the coolant tank. This should never be done whenever the engine is hot. Freezing engine coolant may “jolt” the block, causing a crack or possibly the loss of a freeze plug. 

A radiator on an Equinox has two hoses that arrive and then go. The heated coolant first from the engine is returned to the radiator just to be chilled. The other replaces the coolant with the water pump to keep the engine cool. With time, these hoses may crack. Check them over to check if they’ve been leaking. Although whether they are dried, surfaces should have a powdery appearance wherever coolant has been seeping (mineral deposits). Look more closely at the radiator. 

Not whether users could see the radiator will play a significant role in determining whether or not there is a leak. There was a leak if one of the fins has a large gouge or a streak running down it that appears as the coolant has dropped from it. This is how you can locate a coolant leak. There seem to be gaskets between the water pump and the engine block.

There will be a leak if any of these gaskets fail. If all components (ignition system, steering wheel, serpentine belt) impede the vision, this is typically difficult to notice. Whenever there’s a puddle underneath the center of the engine compartment and no other leaks are visible, this is frequently in which the leakage originates. This is not the solution to re-fill it. Eventually, the coolant would have to leak. Check underneath the car when it’s stopped to see if there are any coolant leaks. If any, begin the search right above the puddles.

 

It’s A Wrap!

We are delighted to know that you have learned the 2008 Chevy Equinox overheating when idle and heater doesnt work. As mentioned above are the most common response to such problem so if you find any of the reasons you should take your car to the best workshop or call an expert. Thank you, friends, for reading this article. Click on these links to read related articles; know how to start hot water heater in RV and how much to replace a heater core.

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