Mjmork5

Solved/fixed my "spiking temperature gauge"
I thought this might help someone else too.
My temperature gauge was running hot creeping up then sometimes in stop and go or city driving would spike into the red. But no steam and I would let it cool and drive again it would go down but not much. No leaks I checked. The overflow bottle was half full. Last nite I added coolant right to the radiator itself, not even that much. I drove and idled away drove around town the needle now normal is not moving around at all it at half or slightly below half on the guage and the heat and defrost& air conditioning all work work fine. 219k on my es300
I do not know because I bought the car months ago how old the coolant is but I did a test on the coolant and it is fine. Occasionally the guage would spike since I bought the car but it became worse. So right to in my driveway did this opened cap on cold engine let it warm up a bit and slowly added fluid. It did not even take much at all. Everything is fine now. But will update if any new info. ( Also installed new radiator cap since I purchased the car) I guess it just needed some and that was enough to make it happy/normal again.

Oro

And we long time users wonder why the forum is virtually unmoderated. For shame.

Mjmork5

I posted because it's easy to think the worst when the guage spikes into the red. The problem was not too obvious and didn't happen all the time. I never knew that being a very little low on coolant on any car would spike that guage and if it helps one person from not losing their money at a garage then it's no Shame here. I don't know what your comment meant.

oceanlvr

This is not a coolant age issue. Frankly, straight water can keep the car cool.
The reason that you add the antifreeze is to lubricate seals and keep the water from freezing in the winter.

The fact that you say that you have coolant in the overflow should concern you. That radiator should have been too full to add fluid to if you have fluid in the overflow.
Either your overflow hose has cracks and will not suck up fluid into the radiator, it is not submerged into the overflow coolant...it is clogged...or you have a serious restriction in your coolant flow system.

I would take a close look at your overflow hose...and frankly, I would be flushing the entire coolant system.

I suppose it is possible that the water pump has an issue....but I would expect leaks if that bearing was going out.
I do remember a case where BMW had an issue with the blades on their composite water pumps coming apart...and I suppose it may be possible...but I have never heard of it with these cars.

And I would also be taking a close look at the cooling fan. It would not explain the lack of coolant in the radiator...but still worth checking out.