i bet its your fans. like green bandit said just because they are turning dont mean they turning fast enough. my a/c fan was turning but i was running hot at idle or going slower than 50mph bought a new one now its good. ive had to replace so much on my car cause previous owner was stupid!!! and things go out...is it doing it with or without the a/c on,or both?

 

this is happening to me, and i got my car checked and it was the fans i thought it was only the electric plug that the fans go plugged but, it wasnt my fans worked sometimes and sometimes they dont, it might seem like the fans start but sometimes they they just dont start at all, so have someone check them out, and the a/c going hot is the same thing also to me...havent had the opportunity of buying them going to do it soon though

 

i got my a/c fan on ebey for like $55 shipped works great installed it in like 10min, the radiator fan was around the same price,not bad to keep from warping the head from going hot to cold too much or blowing a head gasket from gettin too hot

 

Only with A/C on

 

Im with the rest of these guys. If the car is fine while moving then that means there is a problem with the fans moving the air when stopped. Really all there is to it.

 

take your finger and see how easy it is to turn the fan blades on the a/c fan. if it spins like crazy then its done.

 

Umm, that's kinda dangerous don't you think; considering the fans turn on at random.
Don't want my boys finger missing...

 

LOL not with the car runnin, and if its bad then your finger will stop it thats how bad mine was

 

Yeah sound like either a thermostat, low coolant, or something clogged , but for it to get hot fast sounds like low coolant or something clogged

 

I have a 2003 as well and I never had an issue with overheating but I do believe when I sent my car in for Recalls. There were two.. One was for the fan control module and the other was for the reflash to fix the ecu (car runs rich from factory which ruins yoiur 1'st cat). I have a hunch its that module and the fans seem so loud because they are not working properly. Id Call mitsu and see if you have any outstanding recalls.

 

Maybe you guys can help me out. My car over heats to the red when I sit in traffic for a few mins also and I have a mishimoto radiator. But when Im doing 100 on the highway by thermostat gauge drops to ice cold. Any thoughts?

 

Why are you doing 100?

 

read through this thread....check your fans just cause they are turning doesnt mean they working. thermostat could be stuck open it can really be only a few things fans, thermostat, faulty switch, blown head gasket,water pump or clogged radiator. im betting the fans since it cools when moving.

 

i was on some back roads and a d bag in a nissan was on my *** and when i got on the highway he was still on me. so i dropped down to third and he stoppped after we hit 90. but ill check the fans again i just wasnt sure cause the temp gauge only drops when im doing 85 or above.

 

thats cause its getting enough airflow, when mine went out it would cool after 50mph. see how easy the fans turn by hand, they shouldnt spin too easy unless they are bad. i bought mine on ebay. o.e. specs and pretty cheap had em hooked up in no time....been great ever since