I have a 2006 Camry 4 cylinder. Car overheated suddenly and the radiator was cracked and replaced. It overheated several weeks after and -again ,it was replaced.

I have been told it might be a bad thermostat or head gasket. Then again it might be that radiator was fitted too tight after frontal repairs from an accident and it might need a trip to the body shop, the mysterious fellow and puzzle that my car has become, or maybe trouble has not been diagnosed correctly?

Thoughts, anyone?

 

Who replaced the radiator, a competent shop? The car was in an accident, repaired including a new radiator? Then the overheating occurred right after this.

What happened during the first overheat? It is possible the radiator cracked first. The upper tank on the radiator is plastic and it is common for it to crack. Typically there are signs of slight coolant leakage before major cracks and leakage.

What happened in the second overheat? You were driving along and suddenly the temp gauge goes to the red, etc.

Did this overheating occur during stop and go driving, idle, highway speeds, urban driving?

It can happen if an engine was overheated that the head gasket fails. This can cause overheating problems.

There is a test called the "Block Test," that test for exhaust gases in the coolant. If present, the head gasket has failed. If not, the problem is someplace else.

 

Sorry for the delay! My story might help someone. I researched and even hinted to this other mechanic (looking out for a bad diagnostic) to do the thermostat test with the hot water on a pan to see if the cap would open to right high temperature.

Well, apparently that was the problem. Since then I haven't had the same problem. I hope that did it. It has been some time now as you can see. But did I found out the hard way. My advice is get your mechanic to test the thermostat (or at least tell you they did) when you have my kind of problem!

Thanks,

 

Thanks for posting back with the fix.

Yes, mechanic should made a more in depth investigation after the second radiator failed.