WJ overheating

Hello,

I just purchased a 2002 WJ Laredo 4x4 last week. It has a 4.0 with 97,000 miles and an automatic transmission.

The temp starts to go up in stop and go traffic. Dangerously close to the overheating side on the temp gauge. Now I live in Las Vegas and the temperature has bin 110 and above and I do have the AC on. I can make it come down by turning off the AC and putting it neutral.

My question is this normal for this situation or can someone direct me in the right direction to fix this.

Thank you

My first question is has the water pump ever been changed. I have a 2001, and our years are notorious for the impeller fins in the water pump to corrode and then it doesn't pump worth a darn. I would start there. Unfortunately there is no way to really know until you remove the water pump as it will still pump, but not well.

Is your aux fan working? It should turn on with the ac.

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Good point. Aux fan should also turn on if temp is high.

What's it got for a fan? I can't remember now. If mechanical it sounds like a bad fan clutch.

water pump, radiator, thermostat, flush system, and verify the fan is coming on.

I doubt that water pump has been changed and I don't have anyway of knowing as I just purchased it from a used car broker.

I don't have an aux fan or a mechanical fan. It is just one big electric fan in the fan shroud. The fan does come on when the engine is running. Is there a way to check if it working properly.

It sounds like a new water pump, thermostat, and system flush is in order. Unless you can think of anything ells.

Thanks for the advise.

As long as the fan comes on that's all that really matters. You could do the radiator while you're there, but I won't lie, wj radiators are not fun.

typical for the fan control relay to fail on these. It's an electronic relay that is bolted to the bumper brace behind the bumper cover under the right headlamp.
To replace it "correctly", the bumper cover and the headlamp header panel must be removed. This is a major PITA.
You can remove the right headlamp module and use a 2" hole saw to cut an access point through the header panel. Not sure if there are how-to videos out there but I bet there is..

If your fan is working, then no worries.. It's probably time to replace the radiator, as chances are that it is mineral clogged.