1999 DODGE STRATUS RUNNING HOT I CHANGED THE THERMOSTATE AND MY FAN IS WORKING PROPERLY.WHEN I NOTICED IT WAS RUNNNING HOT I OPED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE LAST TIME I PUT SOME OIL IN THERE I LEFT THE OIL CAP OFF COULD THIS BE A PART OF MY PROBLEM?

prestone leak (cooland fluid) probably one hose to change.

make sure your fan is turning on (sensor )check your coolant level

the fan should only come on if a/c high pressure is above 200-250psi. or th eeng is HOT +220f... the relay I think is located at the lower left corner of core support, and common to fail.

Check the vacuum hoses

Check the egr system. Without proper mixture of carbon monoxide. It could be running hot . Your car would have a high idle because its getting air to feed the fire instead of the non burnable carbon monoxide.This would raise the temp too.

Put your gloved hand on the radiator in the front of your car - if it is hot - then the water in your heater core will be hot. If it is hot in the radiator - and not in the heater core - make sure your water level is up to the top in the radiator itself. 2 - make sure the 'heater' switch inside the car is working. 3 - look under the hood for a shut off valve - after market as some people put these on to make the ac colder on cars that begin to go bad.

Chances are you're low on water in the front radiator -

Also a simple check which is cheap should be done by your regular mechanic. If you don't have a professional Mechanic - get one.

make sure thermostat switch working properly, the thermostate sensor sense the temperature and kick on the cooling fans on and off, also make sure both fans are working properly. assuming every thing is working properly, check the dip stick to make sure there is no water mix in the oil, another sign of leaking head gasket will also will cause the engine run a bit hotter than normal.

Sounds like your ac system in low. To get the compressor to engage you must find ac resistor (usually under hood with fuses) and cross connect circuits. Most time right to left corners, you can hear and see compressor clutch engage. Now, fill system with proper refrigerant.
Once charged, compressor will=should cut on and off properly.

Hi my name is Allen!
The first thing you need to do is check for coolant leaks, I suggest this because you seen steam coming from under the hood. Various places to check would be the radiator, hoses, water pump, heater core, head gaskets, freeze-plugs. Check the level of coolant in the radiator, but only after the engine has had time to cool-down because you could be seriously burnt by removing the cap if it has not cooled.

If the radiator is full then other causes could be; the radiator fan not working properly, the thermostat could be sticking closed, the system could be restricted not allowing coolant flow unless driving vehicle, and the water pump could be defective. These are just a few possible causes!

If you need further asistance you may contact me through FixYa!

Yes, they should only run when the engine gets to a certain temperature. If they still fail to operate then you may want to check your fuses and relays both inside the car and in the engine bay to make sure they are all good.

-Matthew

ok first the fan relay should be located inside the elecrical box. this is usually located on the drivers side under the hood. next even you have only one speed when you turn the switch it's because the reostat is bad it is located in the fan motor housing. hope this helps.