You are in: > Home > A1 Catalogue > DIY Helpline

Vauxhall Corsa

I have a Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 auto.  The car overheated to the red, the fan didn't kick in but have tested the fan and it does work.  I have been told it could be the thermostat.  What damage could have done?  The heater in the car was blowing out very hot air but the temperature was not going down even when we got the fan going for ages nothing happened.

Hope you can help.

Many thanks
Angela


Hi Angela,

It's hard to tell from this if any damage has been done as yet...Maybe none....let's hope so!

What you should do immediately is check both the Coolant and Oil levels and top up if required.

Next you should get the Cooling Fan Sender unit checked out - it's more than likely that this has stopped working and prevented the Cooling Fan from cutting in.

The fact that your heater is still putting out hot air is a good sign and could mean that the Head Gasket is still okay...(this is what can "blow" when serious overheating happens)...

Don't delay though, and please don't drive the car too much before you get it properly checked out.

Purely as a temporary measure, a reasonable mechanic can get the cooling fan working permanently by joining the connections at the Fan Sender unit together - BUT it needs to be done by someone who really knows what they're doing.

I hope this is of some help to you, please let me know how you get on.

Good luck
Bill