Overheating is one of the most serious problems that your Jeep Cherokee may face.
Smoke flowing from under the hood, a stuck temperature gauge, and a burst head gasket are all signs of overheating. Overheating the engine might result in a lot of costly damage.
The cost of replacing a blown head gasket or a broken head/block is substantially higher than replacing a thermostat or water pump. Read below to learn about jeep grand Cherokee overheating issue and fixes.
How To Diagnose Jeep Cherokee Overheating? (Problems and Symptoms)
Do you know what’s going on under the hood? It will almost certainly be less expensive if you can repair your automobile yourself, as it is with most things.
Labour is sometimes more expensive than the parts themselves. Some common symptoms tell you that your Jeep Cherokee is overheating. Those are:
- Look at the temperature gauge on the dashboard. Your Jeep is overheating if the temperature is much over the halfway between cold and hot.
- Look under the hood for any signs of smoke. It’s obvious when an engine starts smoking that it’s much too hot.
- Open the heating vents in your Jeep. If the heat in the jeep is more intense than usual, the engine might be hotter than usual.
- Check the level of antifreeze in your Jeep. If it’s really low even though you’ve recently filled it up, the Cherokee engine may be overheated. It might also be a symptom of a coolant leak. The engine utilizes coolant to cool itself, as the name implies; if coolant isn’t going through the system for whatever reason, the car’s temperature will rise.
- Check the temperature in your jeep. Opening the hood, removing the radiator cap, and starting your jeep is a simple way to accomplish it. If the level of coolant in the holder does not drop dramatically as the car warms up, the thermostat may get stuck closed, which can result in an overheated vehicle. Just in case, engage your jeep’s parking brake when performing this test.
Reasons Why Jeep Grand Cherokee Overheating?
1. Too little or no coolant
The most prevalent cause of Cherokee overheating is a lack of coolant. Low coolant is a sign of a leak in the cooling system.
It doesn’t just vanish on its own. Here are a few reasons why your coolant may be running low:
- Radiator Damage
- Bad radiator cap
- Thermostat housing damage
- Water pump gasket
A radiator leak can be found in a variety of places. Make sure you don’t remove the radiator cap while the engine is still warm.
Solution: Unless the coolant is leaking from the cap itself, you shouldn’t need to remove it at all. Because the coolant might evaporate before it has a chance to manifest itself, a gradual leak can be more difficult to locate than a sudden leak.
2. Cooling system leaks
Coolant is the fluid that flows through the radiator and lowers the temperature.
The coolant in a well-functioning car would significantly aid in preventing the vehicle from overheating.
First and foremost, before we focus on a leak-hunting trip, have you recently filled off your coolant/antifreeze?
Even though it is a basic routine maintenance item, not everyone checks their coolant regularly.
Solution: If the reservoir is empty or very low, you may only need to go to the nearest parts store and buy a gallon of high-quality coolant to solve the problem.
However, not everyone is that fortunate. Leaks might be the reason for an empty coolant reservoir. The reservoir itself would be the most evident leak.
They’re constructed of corrosive plastic that can split or corrode over time.
3. A broken water pump
The water pump is like the heart of your Jeep because it pumps coolant through the motor, through the veins of your vehicle, and to the radiator. Because it is a belt-driven component, inspecting your belts at this time is also a smart idea.
It’s also a good idea to clean and replenish your coolant while replacing your water pump.
Solution: A gallon of coolant is inexpensive, so starting from scratch won’t break the bank. However, it will aid in the recovery of the vehicle’s performance following an overheating event.
Replacing a water pump can cost several hundred dollars and is regrettably beyond the ability of most amateur mechanics.
4. Radiator issues
The radiator is frequently the root cause of an overheated car. Thankfully, you usually just need to repair portions of the radiator rather than the complete unit.
It might be a simple internal clog or an exterior obstruction with dirt in the radiator fins. Radiator fans can fail over time, leading the vehicle to overheat as a result of insufficient cooling.
If you have a leaking radiator, you may use a stop-leak fluid solution to fix it. It’s also possible that the hose leaks. Hoses, thankfully, are frequently simple to repair and inexpensive.
Solution: Make an appointment with your mechanic as soon as possible if it comes down to a whole replacement. Continuing to drive a car with a faulty radiator may result in more harm.
5. Oil Change
You may not need to worry about this step if you are careful about getting your oil changed regularly.
However, if you have been failing to get a proper oil change for a long time, especially if you have been driving the car while it is overheating, you should seek professional help.
Solution: An oil change might be exactly what your Cherokee requires to chill. It will run better if you drain the old oil and replace it with new oil, as well as change the oil filter.
However, if the oil level is too low, the engine will undoubtedly overheat.
6. Thermostat failure
If you tell a knowledgeable mechanic that your Jeep Cherokee is overheating, their first response will almost certainly be to check the thermostat.
As the temperature of the vehicle rises, a thermostat controls how much coolant is delivered to the radiator. Thermostats are prone to become stuck, which is a typical issue.
When a thermostat is stuck, the valve is either closed or open all of the time. In any scenario, it must be changed as soon as possible.
The car will receive too much coolant if the thermostat is jammed open. The radiator, on the other hand, will not receive any coolant if it is stuck in a closed position.
Solution: If you do decide to replace the thermostat, be sure the replacement part is a perfect match for your Cherokee’s make and model. Because each thermostat is tuned for a certain car, installing one produced for a different vehicle might result in significant damage.
7. Issues with belts and hoses
Several belts, simply by being loose or worn out, can cause overheating. Hoses, too, can degrade or become loose over time. Belts, such as the serpentine belt, can wear out over time.
Solution: Your water pump will not be able to fulfil its duty if water cannot be pushed into the engine and radiator when it wears out. If a hose, such as a radiator hose, becomes loose, all you have to do is tighten or replace the clamp.
It shouldn’t be a costly repair if the hose is old and worn out.
Final Words
There are a variety of reasons why your Jeep Grand Cherokee is overheating. I hope this article helps you in determining why.
Related Posts:
Leave a comment