[hipperrb]

I recently encountered a major issue with my acadia overheating. I am wondering if I am the only one! I have about 1500 miles on the vehicle and I was driving back from thanksgiving break. After sitting in traffic outside of New Jersey (45 degree weather) for about 20 minutes I noticed my temperature starting creeping up to 220. It normally runs near 210 degrees. After ten more minutes, the temperature was at 250 degrees, but I was sitting in traffic with no where to go. When the temp hit 260, the car went crazy.....the traction control kicked off....the service engine light came on...and the car went into a reduced power mode. I was able to pull the car off the turnpike onto a service road and tried to get On star to help me out. They were anything but helpful.....told me to take the vehicle to the nearest dealership on a Sunday (sure they will be open) while I was 400 miles away from home. After letting the car sit for about an hour...it cooled down. I checked the fluids....oil and coolant levels were fine. Anyone else have this happen. My acadia is now in the shop and I have a feeling they will not be able to find anything.

Bob

2008 FWD Acadia SLT2

 

[jseck2]

Mine normally runs the same temperature all the time. After I had the AC system repaired, it overheated on the way out of the dealership. There was some air in the heating system that got in when they worked on the rear AC & heater. After burping out the air, it's been fine ever since.

Just something to check.

 

[hipperrb]

jseck....thanks for your reply!

 

[Rat407]

At the time of overheating could you tell if your cooling fans were running? I wonder if for some reason they didn't come on?

 

[samudi]

What do you mean by "After burping out the air".

I did change the oil and the filter after the 800 mile (1100 km), and I start facing a raise in the temp. above the 210 (100).

2008 ACADIA SLT-2.

 

[jseck2]

What do you mean by "After burping out the air".

When they replaced the rear A/C evaporator, they removed or disturbed the rear heater core. After reassembly, they must not have filled the rear heating system and trapped some air which resulted in the apparent overheating.

 

[mikemu]

At the time of overheating could you tell if your cooling fans were running? I wonder if for some reason they didn't come on?

Good point. I've been in many traffic jams in the heat of the summer and the gauge doesn't budge past the center point (210?).

 

[loach]

Old thread, but my wife experienced something very similar to the original poster yesterday. She was sitting at the school, idling with the A/C on while waiting for my son. Outside temp was warm but not hot - about 85-86 degrees. Suddenly the DIC started throwing all kinds of messages at her - Traction control off, Stabilitrak off, Engine hot turn off A/C. Oil life monitor dropped from around 60% to zero and "Change engine oil soon" message popped up. Check engine light came on and stayed on. She turned off the A/C and opened the windows. She did not look at the temp gauge because, well, she's a girl (I was just impressed that she seemed to remember all the DIC messages ;D). When she took off after my son got in, she said the car "felt weird" but could not really explain what she meant by that other than it felt like the vehicle wasn't "under control". I wonder if it was in reduced power mode due to overheating.

So when I got home last night I started it and drove it around the block. It seemed to drive normally, but after I pulled in the driveway and parked I let it idle for a couple minutes and watched the engine temperature rapidly climb up to 240 degrees. I shut it down and checked the coolant level - it was a little low - basically down to the neck of the reservoir. I ran to the store in a different car and bought some 50/50 Prestone Dexcool and filled it up to the cold fill line - didn't take much. Drove it to the dealership this morning and temperature was rising well above 210. Cooling fans certainly seemed to be running fast and the service advisor even remarked on that. Will report back on what the dealership finds.

 

[mikemu]

Old thread, but my wife experienced something very similar to the original poster yesterday. She was sitting at the school, idling with the A/C on while waiting for my son. Outside temp was warm but not hot - about 85-86 degrees. Suddenly the DIC started throwing all kinds of messages at her - Traction control off, Stabilitrak off, Engine hot turn off A/C. Oil life monitor dropped from around 60% to zero and "Change engine oil soon" message popped up. Check engine light came on and stayed on. She turned off the A/C and opened the windows. She did not look at the temp gauge because, well, she's a girl (I was just impressed that she seemed to remember all the DIC messages ;D). When she took off after my son got in, she said the car "felt weird" but could not really explain what she meant by that other than it felt like the vehicle wasn't "under control". I wonder if it was in reduced power mode due to overheating.

So when I got home last night I started it and drove it around the block. It seemed to drive normally, but after I pulled in the driveway and parked I let it idle for a couple minutes and watched the engine temperature rapidly climb up to 240 degrees. I shut it down and checked the coolant level - it was a little low - basically down to the neck of the reservoir. I ran to the store in a different car and bought some 50/50 Prestone Dexcool and filled it up to the cold fill line - didn't take much. Drove it to the dealership this morning and temperature was rising well above 210. Cooling fans certainly seemed to be running fast and the service advisor even remarked on that. Will report back on what the dealership finds.

Let's hope there's no engine damage as it sounds like she kept it running while it was too hot.

 

[loach]

I'm not too worried about that. She said it "felt weird" only for the time she was in the parking lot, so I suspect it cooled back down a bit after she shut the A/C off.

 

[09Enclave]

Let's hope there's no engine damage as it sounds like she kept it running while it was too hot.

Doubt it, since the vehicle shuts things down, throws those messages, and uses reduced power....that's all for saving the engine in those conditions, as far as I can understand it. Also, yesterday after getting back from picking my daughter up from school, when I parked in the garage, the fan (engine fan) continued to run after the engine was shut off for a few seconds...perhaps another thing to help in cooling.

 

[mikemu]

Doubt it, since the vehicle shuts things down, throws those messages, and uses reduced power....that's all for saving the engine in those conditions, as far as I can understand it. Also, yesterday after getting back from picking my daughter up from school, when I parked in the garage, the fan (engine fan) continued to run after the engine was shut off for a few seconds...perhaps another thing to help in cooling.

Yeah - the fan will continue running if it's hot enough.

 

[rbarrios]

my understanding of the warnings-- is that it tells you- hey its hot...
if you still continue to drive - for whatever reason- it then begins showing the other messages.
If you still drive- it then starts running on less cylinders- a limp mode ... where it goes into reduced power... to try to keep the engine cool...
by this time- its assumed that something is very wrong- coolant loss or stuck closed thermostat...
now- the engine oil is the one thats doing most of the cooling.... since the coolant cant do its job for whatever reason...
But by doing this- the oil is sacrificing its life--- and the OLM begins to quickly subtract oil life %.

The manual also states- that in the above conditions- to change oil.

 

[mikemu]

my understanding of the warnings-- is that it tells you- hey its hot...
if you still continue to drive - for whatever reason- it then begins showing the other messages.
If you still drive- it then starts running on less cylinders- a limp mode ... where it goes into reduced power... to try to keep the engine cool...
by this time- its assumed that something is very wrong- coolant loss or stuck closed thermostat...
now- the engine oil is the one thats doing most of the cooling.... since the coolant cant do its job for whatever reason...
But by doing this- the oil is sacrificing its life--- and the OLM begins to quickly subtract oil life %.

The manual also states- that in the above conditions- to change oil.

Maybe they have a stuck thermostat since it sounds like the coolant level wasn't abnormally low enough to cause an overheat.

 

[loach]

Maybe they have a stuck thermostat since it sounds like the coolant level wasn't abnormally low enough to cause an overheat.

That's kind of what I'm suspecting. Haven't heard from the dealership yet though.....

 

[loach]

Just heard from the dealership - bad water pump being replaced.

 

[jsimms]

Just heard from the dealership - bad water pump being replaced.

So I guess there wasn't any visible leaking

 

[mikemu]

Just heard from the dealership - bad water pump being replaced.

Interesting. Is that covered?

 

[jsimms]

Interesting. Is that covered?

temporary :threadjacked:

yes

 

[loach]

So I guess there wasn't any visible leaking

Service invoice states that the pump was leaking. Yes, it was covered under warranty. Good thing that it happened this month instead of next, since my B2B warranty is up on 7/7. I think the cost was about $380 according to the warranty form they had me sign.