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Ford Explorer overheating in traffic – radiator or just a clog?

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2026 9:53 am
by simondavenport
I've got a 2015 Explorer that runs fine on the highway but creeps toward the red line whenever I'm stuck in Abu Dhabi city traffic, and I've already replaced the thermostat and flushed the coolant twice with no improvement. A mechanic mentioned it might be a partially blocked radiator core or maybe the fan clutch isn't engaging properly, so I've been looking into Ford radiator replacement and cooling repair options because I can't afford to keep guessing. Has anyone here dealt with a similar issue on this generation Explorer? I'm wondering if a simple radiator replacement would solve it or if I should also be looking at the water pump or head gasket, which would be a much bigger job. Really hoping it's not the latter because the car isn't worth a huge repair bill at this point.