06 Explorer Overheating Randomly - Can't figure out the issue!

[dearliza98]

Hey everyone. I'm new here but thank you for the valuable information provided by this great community. I have already learned a lot, but still very confused about the issue with my 2006 Explorer.

The story.. I bought the car in '08 with 13,000 miles. Almost immediately had to replace the radiator which was under warranty... Fast forward to Dec 2012. I was pulling into a parking space and the engine overheated for about two seconds and returned to normal. I didn't notice it overheating again until last week (2 months later). Since Dec 2012 when it briefly overheated, it has a very loud roaring noise upon acceleration in the lower gears. Only happens sometimes but I feel that I have learned that it is the fan overcompensating and blowing harder as it thinks the engine is overheating.

I've heard thermal bypass is the problem, thermostat, needs new fan clutch, new radiator, etc. Is there any other advice that anyone wants to offer up before I go spend an arm and a leg going down the rabbit hole with my mechanic and most likely multiple visits before it's fixed? Of course, I just paid the car off last month...

Thank you!

 

[Ornery]

2006 Limited 4.6L Overheating​

 

[ZO6_Vette]

Change the thermostat. My 06 4.0 started roaring randomly just before the thermostat stuck closed.

 

[sona]

I've been battling this same issue myself. I too replaced the radiator when I first got my 06 explorer where i first experienced the fan/overheating issue. I recently found a leak and it started doing the fan thing like you described. The dealership told me it was the thermostat housing. So it took them 2 tries to get that to stop leaking. They put in a new upper and lower housing, coolant temp sensor, and thermostat. the fan/overheating persisted so I took it In again and they found the thermo bypass was leaking. Now with that fixed the issue still exists. I tried burping the system for an hour and put on a fresh radiator cap.


It doesn't get hot for long, the fan normally gets things under control quickly.

I found that the coolant temp sensor is stripped in the plastic thermostat housing. I would think that could cause the fan to engage for no reason, but not for it to actually overheat.

The car is in the shop now. They suggest that I put in a new fan clutch now, but that seems ridiculous since the fan seems to be the only reason my truck isn't melting down... So obviously that's working like it should.

Thankfully I have an extended warranty.

The truck has 81,000 miles.

Any advice is appreciated.

Not to thread jack, but I think we're experiencing the same problem.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Sona... find a different and more reputable shop. Temperature spikes that quickly peg the temperature gauge are from air pockets in the cooling system getting trapped around the sending unit. If it takes the dealership two tries to fix a known problem with the thermostat housing cracking and it still leaks they didn't do their job by pressure testing the system and tracking down all the leaks before giving the vehicle back to you. By the way, the temperature sending units are pressed in with an o-ring on them so there is nothing to strip on the thermostat housing. Also, the fan clutch is an EV (electro-viscous) fan clutch and operates differently from mechanical clutches. If the fan is somewhat hard to move by hand with the engine off then there is nothing wrong with the clutch and doesn't need to be replaced. Also the computer will give a DTC if something is really wrong with the fan clutch.