I've got an overheating issue with my '99 Legacy Outback that's got local mechanics stumped and is driving me out of my mind.
Maybe a month ago, I finished my 40 minute commute home from work, pulled into my parking spot, and happened to notice the temp gauge pinned on "H". I quickly shut off the car to hear the coolant boiling down onto the pavement. Had it towed to the local dealership, who replied with "All that happened is that the tube disconnected when you overheated...you're lucky you didn't suffer more damage, crack the block or something." "Well, what's the problem with it?" "You're low on coolant." "Well, yeah, I know that, the coolant's on the pavement in front of my house. I mean what caused it to overheat?" "We can't find anything wrong with it. It's not overheating for us, so just drive on it for awhile and see if it happens again." "Yeah, thanks a lot."
So, sure enough, a few days later, it overheated again while idling. It was at this point that I noticed that:
(a) It only overheats when idling, or when stuck in barely-moving traffic for a long while. Intermittently. Tho they all seem to happen in the afternoon/evening after I've driven home from work and the engine's been running awhile.
( Outside temperature has no effect, as it's overheated on 65 degree days and run fine on 95 degree days.
...and the really odd thing...
© If it starts to overheat, I can turn the car off, and then immediately turn the car back on again, and the temperature goes back to normal. Whether rolling or idling.
So I took it back to the dealership, and they replaced the thermostat. Again they claimed they couldn't get it to overheat. Sure enough, within a couple of days, it overheated again. (ignition off, ignition back on, problem averted).
I gave up on them and took it to a local mechanic someone recommended, and they said they couldn't get it to overheat either, but the thermostat was installed wrong (it needed to be bled or drained or something). Sure enough, within a couple of days, it overheated again. (ignition off, ignition back on, problem averted).
I'm thinking of taking it to mechanic #3, and possibly driving off a cliff on the way back when he tells me he can't get it to overheat. Unless someone's got any ideas...similar issues...anyone? A little help?