Hi. Is it ok to ask for tips in this forum?
I'm using a Nissan Sentra 2002, 180K mileage, running 30K a day for average of 3 days a week, has not been serviced for about two years.
Last night the temperature would go up to almost critical level when the car is at idle (red light), then it would almost immediately go back to normal level once the car starts moving at 20 or 30kph, then heat up again at a red light when the car is idle. It behaved like that consistently. It also heats up to almost alarming level when I'm trying to park. In other words, if the car is idle or when it is being parked (which means it's moving very slow), the temperature goes up.
When I got home I saw the coolant was at sufficient level in the reservoir, but the radiator was dry. I had to empty a whole bottle of coolant in the radiator until I saw liquid reached near the mouth/radiator cap level.
I didn't check if the fan was working and I have yet to drive the car since filling the radiator with coolant.
Is it normal that a radiator would just dry up like that?
Any thoughts and tips?
Thank you.
