benneumann18

Ford Ka Overheating Coolant Leak

I've got a 2010 Ford Ka, diesel engine, and the engine's overheating like crazy, the check engine light is on, and there's coolant leaking from under the car! I think it's due to excessive pressure somewhere in the cooling system. I ran a car diagnostics tool and it's showing a control unit communication error. Could it be a software glitch or a defective cable or plug connection? Mileage is sitting at 222403 km. Has anyone seen anything like this before?

A 2010 Ford Ka with a diesel engine is experiencing overheating, a check engine light, and a coolant leak, suspected to be due to excessive pressure in the cooling system. A diagnostic tool indicated a control unit communication error, possibly caused by a software glitch or defective cable connection. The suggested solution was to inspect wiring harnesses and connectors for corrosion or damage. The issue was resolved by a mechanic who identified and fixed a corroded connection in the engine control unit.

Did this summary help you solve your problem?

4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar! I had a similar issue with my Ka a while back. Overheating and the check engine light are definitely not fun. When you say 'control unit communication error', can you be more specific? Any codes showing up? It could be a faulty sensor messing with the cooling system or something with the CAN bus. The coolant leak probably means the system is seriously over-pressurizing.

Okay, the diagnostics tool spits out a generic 'control unit communication fault' message and no other codes. I suspected it was the CAN bus at first but I have never seen such issue. Any idea where I should start looking?

Ah, a generic fault! That's less helpful than it sounds. In my case, it turned out to be a dodgy connection in one of the plugs going into the control module. Check the wiring harnesses and connectors for any signs of corrosion or damage. Honestly, though, if you are not 100% sure, the best bet is to take it to a workshop and let the professionals have a look. They have the diagnostic tools to pinpoint the issue quickly. My mechanic found the root cause in a couple of minutes.

Thanks for the advice! Took it to a local mechanic, as you suggested. Turns out you were spot on – it was a corroded connection in the engine control unit! They cleaned it up, replaced a short section of wiring, and it’s running like a dream now. Cost me 95€, which I'm more than happy with. Cheers!

rmh_community_comment_box_header

community_crosslink_scanner_headline

community_crosslink_scanner_intro

community_crosslink_scanner_title

community_crosslink_scanner_price

community_crosslink_rmh_headline

community_crosslink_rmh_intro

community_crosslink_rmh_title

community_crosslink_rmh_subtitle

community_crosslink_rmh_brand

FORD

community_crosslink_rmh_model