2001 V70 T Car over heats when stuck in traffic / idling on warm days. On cold days the engine never really heats up- no heat at all if the temperature is below about 25 degrees. Yesterday temperature was in the low 70’s - I was stuck in a traffic jam car overheated had to pull off to cool it down … not sure what the issues could be- New radiator last year. winter I cannot get heat in the summer it overheats.

 

I know cooling systems have a fairly solid "textbook" of symptoms and causes/remedies.

1) How many miles on the car? (goes to age of water pump)
2) What prompted the radiator change?
3) Did these problems begin right after fitting the replacement radiator?
4) Was the thermostat changed USING A VOLVO PART? (too many cheap parts out there)
5) During one of these overheating episodes would the heated deliver heat? (goes to clogged heater core)
6) Sometimes amateurish cooling system work results in air being trapped in the system.
7) Do you do any car work yourself?
8) Do you employ a good mechanic or a general, money saving bloke?

 

1) 175,000
2) Overheated and blew the radiator open
3) Yes for the most part
4) Not sure...
5) Yes
6) Okay these guys know what there are doing
7) No
8) Good Volvo guy has done good work in the past- I have not talked to him yet thought I would try to understand the issue first.

 

I'd start by diagnosing the over heating. 1) Did you replace the thermostat (and coolant temp sensor) and overfill cap when you did the radiator? 2) What does the coolant look like? any signs of head gasket issues? 3) is the coolant level normal? did the tech "burb" the system to eliminate trapped air? 4) does the fan come on when stuck in traffic or idling for a while? In terms of the heater, you can open the side of the center console to access the heater core. Does it get warm along with the radiator (these cars constantly flow coolant to the heater core and use the air doors to control heat). You need to determine if coolant is flowing through the core or if your blend doors are not actuating.