It's been extra warm for march (65F+) and our 2.0 '99 Bettle (125k)as started overheating after a few miles.

The top hose is hot ,so I think that means that the thermostat is OK?

I checked the aux fans and found that the large fan is not working. I've got a replacement motor on order. Is that enough to cause the overheating?

My other suspect is....

A month or so ago the Plastic cooling manifold on the end of the engine cracked. Not knowing any better I put some "normal" anti-freeze in to top up the system while I worked out where the coolant was leaking. A day or so later I found out about the coolant mix problems and flushed the system and re-filled with VW cooolant.

Could it be that I did not flush the system enough and thatnow the radiator or othe part of the coolant system has been blocked?

 

I'm not sure what might have happened, but my 2.0 '00 Beetle (80k miles) overheated after I used the gold/green coolant since the drain plug came loose and I lost all my VW coolant. I was told by my dealership that it was the coolant gauge and thermostat that weren't working properly so you might want to have those checked out. I'm going to have to get mine flushed at the dealer since i know there's some build up in ther from the other coolant.

 

Im having the same problems. After my air-conditioning crapped out in decemeber (which i wanst too worried about since it was cold out but now it almost June..........)

I had to get some dye put in after having to refill the coolant 3x full within 1.5 months... then I had to pay $600 to get a whole new air-compressor.

Overheating is a problem in mine and ts seem like one thing after another. We're still in the process of trying to figure out what the heck is going on...sometimes i feel like it will never end....

 

***oh and Ive already had to get a new radiator fan system last Easter because the larger fan stopped spinning *which the car went into overheat mode*

that was about $85 (whole sale) and i had a friend install it.

 

I own a 2000 New Beetle GLS. I had my car overheat at 65k miles. I had the thermostat, water pump, and timing belt all go out at the same time. It started with replacing the thermostat and the overheating light still coming on. Then a mechanic that worked there suspected it was also the water pump. The part he indicated was indeed cracked into three pieces. Upon taking all the components of the car out to get the water pump, that's when they discovered the timing belt. All in all I ended up with $500 of work done.

 

The most common problems radiators fall prey to are clogging (both internal and external) and leaks. Dirt, bugs and debris can block air flow through the core and reduce the radiator's ability to dissipate heat. Internal corrosion and an accumulation of deposits can likewise inhibit coolant circulation and reduce cooling. A good way to find clogs is to use an infrared thermometer to "scan" the surface of the radiator for cold spots. If clogged, the radiator should be removed for cleaning or replaced. Backflushing the cooling system and/or using chemical cleaners can remove rust and hard water scale, but may do little to open up a clogged volkswagen radiator.

 

The most common mistake people make is using the antifreeze at
at too rich mixture, If your antifreeze isn't already diluted, you
mustdiluted with distilled water to a 50/50 mix, any thicker will not
dissipate heat correctly. You must also be sure the cooling system
is totally full. If it were me, and I had to replace the radiator, I would go to a radiator shop and get one that had more cooling
capacity than the factory radiator.