Overheating | 2017 Jaguar F-Pace Premium

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Sometimes an overheating concern isn’t as simple as a bad thermostat or low coolant. For instance, a 2017 Jaguar F-Pace Premium came in that showed us why proper diagnostics matter. Let’s dive in.

Diagnosis

Now, on the first day the customer came in, we test drove the F-Pace for approximately 8 miles with no overheating or obvious cooling-system concerns. The next day, during another road test, the A/C all of a sudden began blowing warm air while the engine temperature gauge stayed at its normal operating position. We pulled over immediately and inspected the vehicle.

Under the hood, we found the engine cooling fan wasn’t working, and the active grille shutter (the radiator shutter) was fully closed.

After shutting the vehicle off and restarting it, the cooling fan came back on, and the active grille shutter opened and began working normally. That intermittent behavior was the key clue we needed.

What Needs to Be Done

A diagnostic scan revealed two fault codes related to the active grille shutter. We removed the front bumper and tested the shutter circuit. Power, ground, and CAN communication were all present and working well.

Based on the testing, the active grille shutter appears to be intermittently sticking in the closed position.

So we replaced the active grille shutter/radiator assembly, then performed an extended road test to verify the repair and confirmed the concern was resolved.

Pro Tip:

Intermittent cooling-system problems can be tricky to catch. A vehicle may drive perfectly during one test drive and show a serious fault the next day. That’s why appropriate diagnostics, scan data, electrical checks, and extended road tests are very important, especially with the modern-day European car.