By It’s never good to have a fault code appear on your vehicle, but some are more critical than others. One of them is the “Engine Coolant over Temperature” error code.
This article will explain what an engine coolant temperature override on a Ford means, how it occurs, and what you can do to fix it.
What does Engine Coolant over Temperature on a Ford Fusion Mean?
The code error simply means that Ford has detected a temperature too high in your engine coolant. This is a common problem with Ford Fusions. It can occur for many reasons. I will explain them below.
What causes Ford’s “engine coolant overtemperature”?
Bad Coolant Temperature Detector
As an Auto Tech, I’d say that this is the most likely cause of engine cooling overheating on a Ford Fusion.
Coolant temperature sensors are responsible for monitoring your engine’s coolant temperature. This sensor will display a code if it fails or becomes loose. The code is usually followed by p1229, which stands for cylinder head overtemperature.
Most Ford vehicles have a coolant temperature sensor that can fail. This is usually due to water/coolant leakage into the sensor.
There are other possible causes for “Engine Coolant overtemperature.”
We know now that engine coolant is overheating on Ford Fusions 98% of the time due to the coolant sensor. There are still other causes of the problem.
Bad thermostat
The thermostat regulates the temperature in your engine. This is done by limiting the flow of coolant to the engine when the temperature reaches a certain level.
When your thermostat fails, the temperature of the coolant can increase and cause the car to heat up.
Low Coolant
Your car will be unable to maintain a proper temperature if it has low coolant. The engine can overheat, triggering a warning “Engine Coolant Temperature Overtemperature.”
Engine overheating can be caused by low coolant.
Blown Headgasket
When the gasket that connects the cylinder head to the engine block is damaged or fails completely, it’s called a blown head gasket.
This allows coolant leakage into the combustion chambers of one or several cylinders, causing them to overheat.
It can also cause major performance problems and damage to other engine parts.
Radiator Leakage
The radiator in your Ford is a vital component of its cooling system. It is responsible for cooling down the coolant. Coolant can leak out of your vehicle if the radiator is leaking. This could cause serious damage.
Overheating can be caused by a leaking radiator, which may lead to a blown gasket in your Ford or other serious issues.
What should you do if your Ford Fusion displays an engine coolant temperature overtemperature indicator?
- Replace the Coolant Sensor
If you experience engine coolant overheating, the first thing you should do is stop your car where you can and have a mechanic check the temperature sensor.
These sensors are inexpensive and can be purchased at your nearest Ford dealership.
Check if your engine is leaking coolant by checking under the hood for any puddles or if you have low fluid levels in your car.
You should have any leaks fixed by a mechanic as soon as you notice them.
If you want to replace the temperature sensor, you can take your vehicle to a Ford dealership or an independent mechanic.
It is still important to have the work done professionally so that the vehicle doesn’t develop other problems.
- OBD Scanner to reset the fault code
You will need to remove the fault code after replacing the Coolant Temp sensor.
You will need an OBD scanner to do this. This is a device that plugs into the diagnostic port of your car and reads codes from the ECU.
Ford dealers or qualified mechanics should be able to install and use OBD scanners. After they’ve cleared the fault codes, you should be all set.
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