Bobbiepatin

Bought my car September 6. Driving home from Cypress Texas, approximately 140 miles, temperature around 83 degrees, average 75 mph, all flat freeway. Almost home, stopped at the DQ to get a blizzard and the A/C started blowing warm air. After sitting in line for a few minutes the overheat warning comes on and tells me to idle the engine, which it was at idle at this time. Steam is now coming out from under the hood. I drove to an empty part of the lot and shut it down. Opened the hood and let it cool down for a while. Now, I realized that on Friday, I was about to experience the same thing just from driving a few miles around town and making a stop at the bank. While I was waiting the A/C started blowing warm but I didn't think too much of it at the time because once I started driving again it blew cool. So, short trip, short idle..overheat...Longer trip, short idle....OVER HEAT. It's at the dealership and has been since Monday morning... Their answer, air bubble in the system from the factory...can't find anything wrong with it. Does anyone have any information about this or may know what's causing it?

0vividracing

Air bubble in the system is a reputable response but I would imagine this means that your dealer purged it, and not that they "Can't find anything wrong". It seems that all of this would have been triple checked before you took delivery, very interested to hear how the car performs when you get it back

NSC5

Since the AC started blowing warm air at idle it sounds like the cooling fan isn't operating. At idle the cooling fan is needed to move air both across the AC condenser to extract heat and to remove heat from the engine cooling radiator. Turn AC on and check under hood to make sure the fan is running.

An air bubble in the cooling system would have worked its way out many miles ago. But the lack of cool air from the AC when the car is stationary is the clue that the fan isn't moving air across the condenser.

davekp78

Doesn't the ECU shut down the A/C compressor when overheating begins?

NSC5

It does but according to his description the loss of cool air happened well before the coolant temperature went too high. Loss of AC cooling happens almost immediately once airflow is lost across the condenser since all the AC system does is transfer heat from inside to outside via pressure increase and then decrease of the transfer "fluid" and without sufficient airflow heat transfer is impossible. There is more of a thermal lag with the engine cooling system so it takes a little time for it to build up enough heat to exceed normal operating temperature.

It could be due to another issue but the OP's description of the symptoms are a perfect example of what happens when there is insufficient airflow across the condenser and radiator. With the AC operating and without a flow of air engine overheating will occur rapidly because the ambient temperature in the cooling stack area rises very rapidly. A mild case of this same problem often appears if the condenser gets clogged with insects and other debris but that would be easily seen from a cursory glance at the grill.

Bobbiepatin

I hope it's something that simple. I'm having other issues with the roof leaking and the brakes squealing but those aren't going to leave me on the side of the road. The owners manual states that it could catch fire....from over heating. Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

I traded in my 2013 Roush Mustang and now I'm seriously doubting my decision. I will update as soon as I know more. Thank you all for your responses.

KenHorse

FWIW, my 2014 Z51 (VIN 11822) has been in stop-and-go traffic in 111 degree ambient temps, ran at 80+ MPH in the same temps and engine temp never got above 215 doing so. (and this with A/C on and delivering cold air)

bobby777

In this day and age--its uncalled for!! Problems like over heating is pure BS--Monday or Friday car?

TBIRD57

agree

Higgs Boson

No doubt in my mind you are in a far better car than a Mustang. However, it is rather unfortunate the C7 is having such teething issues in its infancy. The Mustang has hardly changed since the 70's.

With that said, it doesn't help you that the C7 is having far fewer overall problems than most initial launch cars have had in history....you still have an issue with yours which is what matters to you. It won't help you to say my car has been totally flawless and is the best Corvette, heck it's the best sports car I have ever owned, which it is. I love it.

The best you can do is use the warranty for it's intended purpose and get it fixed for free and then enjoy the rest of your ownership.

Kracka

Bingo. There is no such thing as a perfect car. This is why new cars come with warranties and include loaners/rentals if the need for repair arises.

I tried explaining this to a friend of mine who was having some minor issues with his Jeep Wrangler, he was saying problems are unacceptable...blah blah blah...traded in the Jeep for what he considered to be the most reliable vehicle possible, a Toyota Corolla. Two days later he's back at the Toyota dealership for a more serious warranty repair than the Jeep ever needed End of the day, he misses his Wrangler and regrets trading it in over such a stupid thing.

3 Z06ZR1

There have been a few Lemoned back to GM!
Right off the Forum and we are a small number of total owners.


Water leaks and squeaky brakes. Are new ones. But seeing nicer paint
jobs on a 2014 Cruise is dissapointing. Forgot the blown engines too! Then the hidden oiling issue.
that you don't know about till you check the intake bellow infront
of the throttle body where the PVC attaches. If you look you likely have oil. Some have filled up so bad that they hydro locked from oil.
No one but a few know this here!


I would wait on the best comments
Guys putting catch cans on stock cars. The C-6 engines never had the problems that the lt1 is starting out with. Then it is too new to tell since no cars have even 50 k yet! Then direct injection we need to wait and see!

NSC5

HIggs nailed it. Some pieces of equipment built to milspec standards will still suffer early malfunction due to a failed component and nobody on this forum would be willing to pay for a car built to those standards.

This could be something as simple as a damaged connector and certainly isn't indicative of a design flaw. The failed component will be found and replaced under warranty. I do believe that some folks would try to return a bunch of grapes to the store if they found one sour one in the bunch

It certainly is no fun when it is your car that is in for service but no matter what you drive it happens. When automotive service becomes as lousy as commercial airline service then I will start to bitch about it.

Higgs Boson

1. So what if a few have been lemon lawed? There are 40K C7s out there. Lemon Law doesnt mean there is some catastrophic failure. It means a dealer couldn't fix it quickly or within the Lemon Law guidelines, in many cases because they can't get certain parts because its a brand new vehicle and there are none yet. Lemon Law means NOTHING. They are specific situations. How many Honda Accords have been lemon lawed? THOUSANDS.

2. Squeaky brakes? Really? Every car in the world can get squeaky brakes. Do you know why his car has squeaky brakes? Have you heard his brakes? Do you know how he drives? Is this really a FIRE like you make it out to be? Of course not. Water leak? Sounds like a pinched weatherstrip from improper installation of the removable top. But we dont have details but once again, you are ready to sound the alarm over something you have no details about.

3. The Z51 came overfilled initially from the factory or dealers following a mistake in the owners manual. Teething problem. Not to mention PCV issues WERE present in the C6 and they WERE present in the C5 as well. If anything, the PCV issue (not the Z51 burping issue) is 1000 times better than it used to be. The REAL flaw is the PCV system itself, which applies to every car in the world, not just the Corvette.

Please put down your megaphone....you are like the guy standing on the corner wearing The End is Near sign.....gimme a break.

Bobbiepatin

I wanted to wait a couple of days before I posted my follow-up. BTW, I am a female, I know I have a dude name, but 100% female. I am a car nut and have been since my father was driving a 57' Chevy as a stunt car up on two wheels. I know more than the most woman but not enough to be cocky.

With that said, I picked my car up Wednesday, the 15th. They told me that they could not duplicate the overheat and there wasn't a code. The final explanation was that the heater was not turned on when the car was filled with coolant, therefore, the heater core was empty. This caused an air bubble that surfaced and lowered the fluid level allowing the car to overheat. With raised brow, I accepted this explanation. Of course they couldn't replicate the leaking roof or the brake squeal and the roof is still rattling (making noise). Essentially, they put coolant in the car and called it good.

I was stuck in traffic yesterday due to an accident and the temp stayed at 220. I am optimistic and I know that with time I'll get all the kinks worked out.

Now, my focus is on making it faster and new exhaust.....any suggestions ?

Higgs Boson

Sorry I referred to you as a "He." Next time post pics and leave no doubt! (i kid)

eboggs_jkvl

That explanation would show the puke tank as empty as the level is low. I, like you, have an eyebrow raised on the explanation given by the dealer.


Elmer

davekp78

Does the heater core on the C-7 always have coolant flowing through, like the C-5 and C-6?

Greg00Coupe

OP be aware that the 220 on your temp gauge is not really accurate to 220. It is a glorified idiot light......... a toy indicator and does not reflect the true temperature. Sorry I cannot remember it on the fly but you need to get into another driver mode I am thinking tour and flip to the information tab, move through that and a digital read out of the cars system will appear. I'd follow that for a while to get comfortable the problem is fixed.

Did you get any message on the dash when the A/C shut off???? Was at spring mountain last week tracking in 90 degrees. Someone got a message saying hot engine a/c shutting down.

illenema

Must be a huge heater core. So it overheated missing 1 quart of coolant. Not too promising in my book.